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■IX 


A  COMMENTARY 


ON    THE 


Song  of  Solomon 


BY    THE 


Rev.  GEORGE  vBURROWES 


Professor  in  Lafayette  College,  Easton,  Pa. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
WILLIAM    S.    MAR  TIEN 

144  CHESTNUT  STREET. 
1853. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S53,   by 

William  S.  Martien, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


TO   THE 

Rev.  JOHN  C.  BACKUS,  D.  D., 

Pastor  of  the   First   Presbyterian  Ciiurcii  of  Baltimore, 

THIS    VOLUME    IS    INSCRIBED 

■WITH   ETERY   FEELING    OF   REGARD. 


CONTENTS 


PREFACE        

7 

INTRODUCTION     .... 

9 

SUMMARY  OF  THE  SONG    . 

87 

TRANSLATION. 

Chapter  I.                 ... 

91 

Chapter  II.                ... 

92 

Chapter  III. 

94 

Chapter  IV. 

95 

Chapter  V.                ... 

97 

Chapter  VI. 

99 

Chapter  VII. 

100 

Chapter  VIII. 

102 

ANALYSIS  OF  THE  SONG. 

CnAPTER  I.                          ... 

105 

Chapter  II.                ... 

110 

Chapter  III. 

116 

CnAPTER  IV. 

120 

Chapter  V.                ... 

125 

Chapter  VI. 

129 

Chapter  VII. 

133 

Chapter  VIII. 

135 

U                                            CONTENTS. 

COMMENTARY  ON  THE  SONG. 

Chapter  I.                 141 

Chapter  II. 

254 

Chapter  III. 

318 

Chapter  IV. 

347 

Chapter  V. 

398 

Chapter  VI. 

445 

Chapter  VII. 

46G 

Chapter  VIII. 

493 

PREFACE. 


TnE  notes  which  have  grown  into  the  following  pages 
were  begun  amid  the  pious  exercises  and  duties  con- 
nected with  the  pastoral  charge  of  a  retired  congrega- 
tion, and  without  any  idea  of  making  a  volume  for  the 
press.  They  have  gradually  taken  their  present  form. 
The  Analysis  now  stands,  with  no  material  alteration, 
as  it  was  written  some  years  ago ;  and  subsequent  re- 
search has  brought  to  light  no  reason  for  changing  the 
views  then  adopted  concerning  the  general  meaning  of 
this  portion  of  Scripture.  To  those  who  consider  the 
misapprehension  that  has  prevailed  in  reference  to  the 
Song,  the  Introduction  may  not  seem  unnecessarily 
long,  inasmuch  as  an  answer  to  objections,  an  argu- 
ment in  defence  of  the  allegorical  meaning,  and  a 
statement  of  the  principles  of  interpretation,  are  re- 
quired before  proceeding  to  the  exposition.  The  Sum- 
mary and  Analysis  give  the  writer's  idea  of  the  mean- 
ing of  the  Song.     In  the  exposition,  the  aim  has  been 


8  PREFACE. 

to  unfold  the  truth,  in  the  way  supposed  the  most  de- 
sirable to  a  soul  animated  with  fervent  love  for  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  craving  the  hidden  manna  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  has  lodged  in  this  precious  portion  of  the 
Scriptures.  The  heart  hungering  and  thirsting  for 
righteousness,  does  not  rest  satisfied  with  the  stalk  and 
husks,  but  is  anxious  for  the  luscious  kernel,  of  these 
fruits  of  eternal  life.  As  here  viewed,  the  Song  is  a 
continuous  and  coherent  whole,  illustrating  some  of  the 
most  exalted  and  delightful  exercises  of  the  believing 
heart.  According  to  our  exposition,  there  Avill  not  be 
found  in  the  book  a  single  passage  to  which  the  most 
fastidious  taste  can  take  the  least  exception.  A  cor- 
rect interpretation  of  the  book  is  its  only  proper  vin- 
dication. Those  who  engage  in  the  work  of  Scrip- 
ture exposition,  become  best  aware  of  the  difficulties  of 
the  undertaking;  and  while  the  writer  is  sensible  of 
the  difficulty  attending  a  Commentary  on  the  Song, 
and  submits  this  volume  with  diffidence  to  those  who 
love  the  adorable  Redeemer,  he  shall  be  happy  if  any 
thing  has  been  done,  in  however  humble  a  degree, 
for  enabling  them  to  value  this  book,  and  draw  here- 
from truth  for  nourishing  a  more  vigorous  affection 
for  their  Beloved  and  their  Friend. 

Easton,  May  1, 1S53. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  effect  of  sin  has  been  to  destroy  in  the  human 
heart  the  love  of  God,  and  substitute  for  it  the  love 
of  unworthy  things.  The  object  of  redemption 
is  the  restoration  of  man  from  his  condition  of  en- 
mity against  God,  and  from  all  the  consequences  of 
sin,  to  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  perfect  love  to 
God.  Hence,  as  hatred  of  God  is  the  spirit  of  sin, 
love  is  represented  as  the  essential  grace,  as  the  ful- 
filling of  the  law.  The  growth  of  the  soul  in  holiness 
must  be  estimated,  not  by  deep  excitement,  whether 
of  ecstasy  or  of  overwhelming  sorrow,  not  by  burning 
zeal  or  untiring  activity,  not  by  acquaintance  with 
all  mysteries  and  all  knowledge,  not  by  giving  our 
goods  to  feed  the  poor  and  our  body  to  be  burned; 
but  by  the  love  which  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all 
things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things.  Long 
before  the  time  of  the  apostle  Paul,  Plato  had  cele- 
brated the  excellence  of  this  affection,  though  exer- 
cised in  an  inferior  sphere.  "It  is  proper  to  exhort 
every  man  to  behave  in  all  things  piously  towards 
the  gods,  that  we  may  escape  from  the  ills  and  obtain 
the  good  to  which  Love  is  our  guide  and  commander ; 
2 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

■who  confers  on  us  the  greatest  benefits  for  the  present, 
and  for  the  future  gives  us  the  strongest  hopes  that  if 
we  pay  the  debt  of  piety  to  heaven,  he  will  restore  us 
to  our  original  nature,  and  make  us  happy  by  healing 
our  ills.  Love  appears  to  be  himself  the  most  beauti- 
ful and  best ;  and  to  be  the  cause  of  such  like  beautiful 
things  in  other  beings.     He  it  is  who  produces 

Peace  amongst  men,  upon  the  sea  a  calm ; 
Stillness  on  winds,  on  beds  of  sorrow  sleep. 

It  is  he  who  divests  us  of  all  feelings  of  alienation,  and 
fills  us  with  those  of  friendship ;  gracious  to  the  good ; 
looked  up  to  by  the  wise ;  admired  by  the  inhabitants 
of  heaven  ;  the  parent  of  refinement,  of  tenderness,  of 
elegance,  and  of  grace;  in  labour,  in  fear,  in  wishes 
and  in  discourse,  the  pilot,  the  encourager,  the  assist- 
ant and  best  protector ;  of  gods  and  men,  taken  alto- 
gether, the  ornament;  a  leader  the  most  beautiful  and 
best,  in  whose  train  it  is  the  duty  of  every  one  to  fol- 
low, bearing  a  part  in  that  sweet  song  which  he  sings 
himself  when  soothing  the  mind  of  every  one  among 
divinities  and  men."* 

To  this  love,  exercised  towards  God  first,  then 
towards  man,  by  the  healing  power  of  grace,  are  we 
restored  in  sanctification.  Perfect  sanctification  car- 
ries with  it  perfect  love.     The  death  of  Christ,  the 

*  Banquet,  Stallbaum's  ed.,  p.  156. 

"Love  is  the  leading  passion  of  the  soul;  all  the  rest  con- 
form themselves  to  it,  desire  and  hope  and  fear,  joy  and  sor- 
row."— Leighton. 

"  The  entire  economy  of  salvation  is  constructed  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  restoring  to  the  world  the  lost  spirit  of  love." — Harris. 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  all  the  means  of  grace,  all 
the  dealings  of  Providence  with  the  saints,  converge 
on  this  one  point,  the  forming  anew  in  man  of  this 
lost  love.  As  the  sanctification  of  the  soul  is  through 
the  truth,  we  might  therefore  suppose,  that  in  giving 
us  the  Scriptures,  God  would  give  full  elucidations  of 
this  very  important  principle  or  affection.  This  he 
has  been  careful  to  do.  He  has  shown  love  to  be  not 
only  important  but  essential,  1  Cor.  xiii.  1 — 3;  has 
given  a  full  and  excellent  definition  of  it  as  the  root 
of  our  best  and  holy  feelings,  1  Cor.  xiii.  4 — 7;  has 
shown  its  perpetuity,  its  superiority  to  knowledge, 
faith,  and  hope,  and  its  inseparable  connection  with 
the  happiness  and  existence  of  the  soul  of  man,  1  Cor. 
xiii.  8 — 13;  he  has  embodied  it  for  our  benefit  in  the 
living  example  of  Jesus  Christ;  has  shown  that  God, 
to  whose  image  we  must  be  restored,  is  love,  1  John 
iv.  8 ;  has  given  the  blood  of  his  Son  for  removing 
the  difficulty  in  the  way  of  establishing  in  us  this 
principle ;  and  has  sent  his  Spirit  for  forming  it  with- 
in us  by  a  new  creation,  and  for  opening  channels  in 
the  heart,  through  which  its  influence  may  reach  and 
control  all  our  other  powers.  All  this  has  been 
necessary,  because  divine  love  is  so  perfectly  opposite 
to  our  natural  disposition.  Its  presence  makes  us 
new  creatures,  gives  us  new  workings  of  the  affec- 
tions, and  prompts  to  new  language  from  the  lips. 

Now,  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  he  who 
has  given  us  such  means  for  cherishing  this  heavenly 
affection  would  go  farther,  and  add  a  description  of 
the  actual  operations  of  a  heart  in  which  this  love  is 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

found,  and  would  give  us  language  such  as  these  emo- 
tions would  naturally  adopt  in  using  the  words  of 
men;  so  that  in  giving  utterance  to  this  love,  the 
saints  should  not  be  left  to  the  uncertainty  and  dan- 
ger of  adopting  such  words  as  human  error  might 
suggest;  but  have  readily  furnished  language  of  pre- 
cision and  beauty  made  ready  to  our  hands  by  the 
same  Spirit  who  is  working  within  us  this  affection. 
Much  of  the  difficulty  and  uncertainty  of  metaphysi- 
cal disquisitions  arises  from  the  imperfection  of  lan- 
guage, and  the  want  of  precision  in  its  use.  Words 
are  the  signs  of  ideas,  and  if  the  language  in  which 
we  hear  or  speak  on  any  subject,  be  imperfect,  our 
apprehension,  as  thus  got  on  that  subject,  must  be 
incorrect.  It  is  important  that  those  who  have  re- 
ceived a  spiritual  discernment  of  the  things  which  are 
freely  given  to  us  of  God,  should  be  able  to  speak  of 
them,  not  in  words  which  man's  wisdom  teacheth,  but 
in  words  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth,  1  Cor.  ii. 
13,  that  the  Spirit  who  prompts  the  emotion  should 
furnish  the  language  in  which  such  emotion  may  find 
suitable  utterance  for  showing  forth  the  praise  of  the 
Redeemer.  This  has  been  done  for  us  in  a  beautiful 
manner  in  the  Song  of  Solomon.  This  book  is  re- 
ceived as  canonical  for  the  following  reasons. 

1.  We  have  seen  that  there  is  every  ground  for  the 
presumption  that  the  Divine  Author  of  the  Scriptures 
would  give  us  a  book  on  the  subject  with  which  this 
is  occupied.  2.  There  can  be  no  presumption  against 
it  from  the  nature  of  the  book,  for  there  are  other 
parts  of  Scripture  containing  the  same  kind  of  illus- 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

trations.  3.  "  Ezra  wrote,  and,  we  may  believe,  acted 
by  the  inspiration  of  the  Most  High,  amid  the  last 
blaze  indeed,  yet  in  the  full  lustre  of  expiring  prophe- 
cy. And  such  a  man  would  not  have  placed  any 
book  that  was  not  sacred  in  the  same  volume  with 
the  law  and  the  prophets."*  4.  The  Song  of  Songs 
has  always  been  a  canonical  book  in  the  Jewish 
church.  5.  Our  Saviour  and  his  apostles  gave  their 
sanction  to  the  canon  of  the  Scriptures  received  by 
the  Jewish  church ;  in  that  canon  this  book  had  then 
a  place ;  and  therefore,  though  not  quoted  by  Christ 
and  the  apostles,  it  clearly  received  their  sanction  as 
canonical.  6.  In  his  Antiquities,  (viii.  2,  5,)  Josephus 
speaks  of  Solomon  as  inspired;  and  in  his  work 
against  Apion,  gives  the  number  of  their  canonical 
books  as  thirty-nine:  the  Song  is  necessary  to  make 
up  this  number.  7.  According  to  Eusebius,  (iv.  26,) 
Melito,  Bishop  of  Sardis,  in  the  second  century  of  the 
Christian  era,  went  to  Palestine  for  the  purpose  of 
ascertaining  the  sacred  books  of  the  Jewish  canon, 
and  found  the  Song  of  Solomon  among  the  number. 
8.  Origen  in  the  third  century,  Jerome,  Augustine, 
and  Theodoret  in  the  fifth  century,  not  to  mention 
various  others,  all  testify  to  the  same  point.  The 
testimony  of  the  Christian  Church  on  this  subject  is 
uniform.  This  book,  illustrating  that  love  which  is 
the  very  core  of  the  believer's  spiritual  life,  is  there- 
fore a  part  of  the  Scriptures  given  by  inspiration. 
The  services  of  the  Jewish  ritual  point  out  the  way 

*  Bishop  Warburton. 

2* 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

in  which  this  newness  of  heart,  this  divine  love  may- 
be attained  by  sinners.  The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
as  well  as  the  general  language  of  piety,  shows  how 
impossible  it  is  to  understand  the  work  of  Christ  and 
the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  without  those  typical 
allusions.  The  leprosy  is  the  emblem  of  our  spiritual 
state  of  nature ;  the  sacrifices  show  the  ground  of 
pardon ;  the  sacred  anointing  oil,  and  the  water  of 
the  laver,  illustrate  the  excellency  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  his  cleansing  power,  in  developing  those  fruits, 
the  first  of  which  is  love.  In  the  same  mode,  by 
allegorical  language  and  emblems,  the  Song  shows 
what  this  affection  is  as  already  formed  and  in  opera- 
tion. The  heart  on  which  the  work  of  the  Spirit  has 
been  felt  to  the  greatest  extent  can  best  tell  how 
much  at  a  loss  we  must  be  in  speaking  of  spiritual 
exercises  and  love  to  Jesus,  were  we  cut  off  from  the 
language  of  this  Song.  Should  the  soul  be  influenced 
to  these  feelings  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  inclined  to 
use  such  expressions  of  devoted  love,  without  having 
at  the  same  time  a  knowledge  of  this  book  as  given 
by  inspiration,  we  would  hesitate,  would  feel  our- 
selves guilty  of  presumption,  and  could  not  answer 
those  who  might  upbraid  us  with  irreverence  or  fana- 
ticism. There  are  persons  of  undoubted  piety,  in  the 
early  stages  of  the  Christian  life,  though  having  long 
borne  the  profession,  who  are  as  reluctant  to  believe 
the  reality  of  the  exercises  of  the  most  advanced 
Christians,  as  is  the  impenitent  to  admit  the  reality 
of  the  first  emotions  attending  a  change  of  heart; 
the  error  in  both  instances  arises  from  unwillingness 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

to  believe  what  has  not  been  personally  experienced. 
If,  in  consequence  of  having  never  felt  such  deep 
emotions,  persons  of  certain  attainments  in  piety  may 
object  to  this  book  as  using  language  too  strong,  the 
unrenewed  heart  may,  with  the  same  propriety,  doubt 
the  reality  of  all  the  exercises  of  religion.  Beyond 
controversy,  there  are  spiritual  exercises  which  can  be 
better  and  more  naturally  expressed  in  the  languago 
of  this  Song,  than  in  any  other  portion  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. And  the  Holy  Spirit  has  put  into  our  hands 
this  precious  scroll,  written  full  of'  the  characters  of 
love,  and  whispers  to  us  that  we  can  never  do  wrong 
in  speaking  of  Jesus  in  these  terms;  and  that  we  may 
judge  of  the  nature  of  our  love  to  him  by  our  disposi- 
tion to  speak  of  him  in  such  language,  and  by  finding 
in  our  hearts  emotions  corresponding  with  these  ex- 
pressions. 

The  several  books  of  the  word  of  God  have  some 
particular  aim  and  some  leading  topic.  The  Gospels 
furnish  the  life  of  God  manifest  in  flesh ;  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews  opens  the  doctrine  of  atonement  as 
vicarious  and  possessing  infinite  value  from  the  di- 
vine nature  of  Him  who  suffered ;  Proverbs  embody 
the  practical  duties  of  daily  life ;  the  Psalms  are  the 
pious  heart's  language  of  devotion ;  the  Song  is  its 
language  of  love.  Devotion  being  the  utterance  of 
the  different  feelings  of  the  soul  in  combination  and 
resting  with  reverence  on  the  majesty  and  goodness 
of  God,  and  love  being  the  bond  which  brings  us  into 
union  with  God  and  gives  all  our  other  powers  their 
proper   exercise,  wc  find  in  the  Psalms   expressions 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

in  which  to  embody  our  general  feelings  of  repent- 
ance, contrition,  trust,  veneration  and  praise;  in  the 
Song,  the  expressions  are  restricted  to  the  various 
operations  of  the  one  exercise  of  love.  These  deepest 
spiritual  emotions  of  the  human  soul  are  here  exhib- 
ited in  a  way  best  adapted  to  the  comprehension  and 
wants  of  man.  In  the  portraits  of  Shakspeare  we 
have  veins  of  a  profound  metaphysics,  never  sur- 
passed, yet  so  arrayed  in  flesh  and  blood,  that  we 
overlook  the  mental  abstractions,  in  the  beauty  and 
attractiveness  of  their  guise.  And  no  metaphysical 
disquisition  however  laboured,  no  didactic  statement 
however  clear,  could  give  as  intelligibly  as  does  this 
Song,  the  nature  of  those  exalted  exercises  of  the 
human  soul  which  constitute  love  to  our  redeeming 
Lord. 

Love  to  Jesus  Christ  becomes  through  sanctifica- 
tion,  the  strongest  passion  that  can  take  possession  of 
the  human  heart.  Ambition,  avarice,  and  passion 
may  have  more  of  the  unnatural  vigour  attending 
fever;  this  carries  with  it  the  quiet,  enduring  energy 
of  health,  with  sufficient  power  to  consume  those 
unhallowed  principles,  and  bring  into  captivity  every 
thought  to  the  obedience  of  Jesus.  The  power  of 
this  love  cannot  be  known  without  being  felt;  and 
none  but  those  who  have  experienced  the  greatest 
intensity  of  it  possible  on  earth,  can  be  capable 
judges  whether  any  language  used  in  expressing  it 
may  be  exaggerated.  The  love  of  the  pious  heart  to 
God  being  thus  strong,  and  indeed  not  utterable  even 
by  the  strongest  terms:  the  love  of  God  towards  us 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

is  as  incomprehensible  as  his  eternity,  omnipresence, 
or  Almighty  power.  If,  therefore,  he  condescends  to 
illustrate  to  our  comprehension  the  nature  of  this 
reciprocal  love,  the  Holy  Spirit  must  be  expected  to 
draw  his  comparisons  from  the  strongest  and  tender- 
est  instances  of  affection  known  among  men,  and  use, 
in  so  doing,  all  the  colouring  that  can  be  supplied 
even  from  the  domains  of  poetry.  Hence,  in  this 
Song,  the  relation  of  husband  and  bride  is  selected. 
Nor  is  this  comparison  peculiar  to  the  Song.  It  is 
used  throughout  the  New  no  less  than  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  at  the  close  of  Revelation  the  Church  is 
spoken  of  as  the  bride,  the  wife  of  the  Lamb.  The 
relation  of  father  and  son,  imperfect  though  it  be,  is 
nevertheless  the  best  that  language  can  furnish  for 
setting  forth  the  union  between  the  first  and  second 
persons  of  the  Trinity:  and  the  relation  between 
husband  and  wife  is  the  best  known  to  us,  for  illus- 
trating the  union  between  Jesus  and  his  redeemed. 
This  union  must  be  far  more  intimate  and  far  more 
tender  than  the  marriage  relation.  The  attachment 
of  two  persons,  strangers  perhaps  to  each  other  pre- 
viously during  almost  their  whole  life,  must,  even  in  its 
greatest  purity,  ripeness,  and  strength,  fall  very  far 
below  the  love  of  Jesus  for  a  soul  he  has  formed  for 
the  end  of  loving  him ;  whose  constitution  has  been 
framed  by  sanctification  of  the  Holy  Ghost  accord- 
ing to  what  he  can  love  and  desires  to  love;  whom 
he  has  allured  to  himself  by  overpowering  manifesta- 
tions of  love;  whom  he  loved  not  merely  from  the 
first  moments  of  its  being,  but  even  before  the  origin 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

of  its  being ;  and  who  owes  its  being  to  his  loving  it 
before  it  was  called  into  existence,  even  before  the 
world  began ;  over  whose  course  he  has  watched  from 
its  first  breath;  for  whose  rescue  from  misery  he  did 
himself  submit  to  death.  Besides  all  this,  he  has  the 
tender  and  incomprehensible  love  of  the  infinite  God. 
Such  love  on  his  part,  demands  corresponding  affec- 
tion  on  ours.  And  how  can  any  earthly  comparison 
reach  the  measure  of  this  love,  when  it  is  such,  that  if 
any  man  hate  not  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife, 
and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his 
own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  worthy  of  the  love  of  his 
Lord.  The  comparison  of  father  and  son  is  not  more 
imperfect  in  expressing  the  relation  of  the  first  and 
second  persons  of  the  Trinity,  than  is  the  love  of  the 
husband  and  wife,  even  when  taken  in  the  strongest 
terms,  imperfect  in  unfolding  the  love  of  Christ  for 
his  people.  This  illustration  of  that  love  is  the  best 
we  can  now  have;  but  like  all  human  comparisons 
applied  to  God,  falls  very  far  short  of  the  truth. 
The  expressions  in  the  Song,  however  hyperbolical 
they  may  seem  to  some  minds,  give  therefore 
nothing  more  than  a  shadow  of  this  love.  The  lan- 
guage appears  strong,  not  because  it  is  exaggerated, 
but  because  we  are  not  capable  of  appreciating  the 
love  of  God.  Now  we  see  the  love  of  Christ  through. 
a  glass  darkly,  even  in  our  brightest  hours.  Angels, 
who  have  a  better  understanding  of  the  subject,  see 
that  this  language,  instead  of  being  exaggerated,  is, 
as  every  thing  heavenly  expressed  in  human  lan- 
guage must  be,  very  imperfect.     Though  the  Holy 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

Spirit  has  selected  the  most  endearing  relation  on 
earth,  the  marriage  state,  and  set  forth  the  reciprocal 
affections  of  that  relation  in  the  glowing  terms,  ardent 
language,  and  richly  coloured  imagery  of  oriental 
poetry ;  the  whole  is  not  sufficient  for  enabling  us  to 
comprehend,  in  any  other  than  an  indistinct  manner, 
the  wondrous  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge. 
Beset  with  the  inseparable  infirmity  of  human 
nature,  an  over  estimate  of  ourselves,  and  forgetting 
that  the  difficulty  in  understanding  it  may  lie  mainly 
with  us,  we  act  as  though  capable  judges  of  the 
extent  'of  God's  love,  and  of  the  way  it  should  be 
expressed ;  and  we  censure  the  language  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  as  improper  and  extravagant,  because  we  know 
so  little  of  this  love  as  to  be  unable  to  see  how 
incomprehensible  its  nature.*  All  the  objections 
brought  against  the  Song,  arise  from  this  source. 
Those  who  would  reject  it  from  the  canon  of  Scrip- 
ture, or,  if  retaining  it,  would  pass  it  over  in  silence 
as  unfit  for  use  in  the  present  age,  do  this,  not  be- 
cause it  has  less  direct  testimony  than  the  other 
books  in  favour  of  its  inspiration,  but  because  its 
general  character  is  not  what  they  would  expect  to 
find  in  writing  coming  from  God.  No  part  of  the 
Scriptures  can  show  more  uninterruptedly  than  this, 

*  "Would  it  not  then  be  a  sad  thing,  if,  when  there  is  true 
and  sound  reasoning,  one  should  not  blame  himself  and  his 
own  want  of  skill,  but  should  anxiously  transfer  the  blame 
from  himself  to  the  arguments,  and  thereupon  pass  the  rest  of 
his  life  in  hating  and  reviling  arguments,  and  so  be  deprived 
of  the  truth  and  knowledge."— Plato's  F/ucdo,  90. 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

the  concurrent  testimony  of  the  Jewish  and  Christian 
churches.  It  bears  the  clearest  internal  evidence  of 
having  been  written  by  the  author  of  Proverbs  and 
Ecclesiastes.  The  affection  here  illustrated  is  a  lead- 
ing one  in  the  Christian  life;  the  mode  of  illustrating 
it  is  the  one  generally  employed  in  other  parts  of  the 
word  of  God,  and  is  indeed  the  best  that  could  be 
used  for  the  purpose.  All  this,  certain  opposcrs  of 
the  book  will  admit,  but  still  object  to  it  strenuously, 
through  prejudices  arising  from  what  appears  to  them 
exaggerated,  if  not  indelicate  expressions.  Under 
these  circumstances,  and  in  view  of  what  has  been 
already  said  concerning  the  impossibility  of  doing 
any  thing  like  full  justice  to  the  infinite  love  of  God 
in  human  language,  even  adorned  with  the  highest 
efforts  of  poetic  genius ;  such  persons  would  do  well 
to  reflect  that  the  difficulty  lies  not  in  the  book,  but 
in  themselves;  that  the  Holy  Spirit  can  use  no  other 
than  the  best  possible  words;  and  that  all  these 
apparent  imperfections  might  vanish  under  the  in- 
fluence of  a  keener  spiritual  discernment,  and  a 
deeper  love.  Different  minds  in  which  sin  exerts 
an  influence,  have  an  affinity  for  different  kinds  of 
error,  and  an  opposition  to  different  kinds  of  truths. 
As  sanctification  releases  us  from  our  native  corrup- 
tions by  degrees,  the  Christian  life  is  a  gradual 
progress  in  working  the  soul  loose  from  the  dominion 
of  error.  Hence,  some  men  reject  the  whole  word  of 
God;  others  reject  particular  books;  while  some  per- 
sons who  receive  as  inspired  the  whole  canon  of 
Scripture,  can  never  become  reconciled  to  some  of 


INTRODUCTION.  21 

its  doctrines.  A  defect  in  the  intellectual  or  spiritual 
man  is  at  the  root  of  all  this  error.  The  defect  is 
not  in  the  pages  of  inspiration,  but  in  the  human 
heart.* 

Sir  Joshua  Reynolds  gives  this  advice  to  young 
artists :  "  With  respect  to  the  pictures  that  you  are 
to  choose  for  your  models,  I  would  have  you  take 
those  of  established  reputation,  rather  than  follow 
your  own  fancy.  If  you  should  not  admire  them  at 
first,  you  will,  by  endeavouring  to  imitate  them,  find 
that  the  world  has  not  been  mistaken.  The  habit  of 
contemplating  and  brooding  over  the  ideas  of  great 
geniuses,  till  you  find  yourself  warmed  by  the  contact, 
is  the  true  method  of  forming  an  artist-like  mind." 
Thus  Dr.  Arnold:  "The  cartoons  of  Raphael  at 
Hampton  Court  Palace,  the  frescoes  of  the  same  great 
painter  in  the  galleries  of  the  Vatican  at  Rome,  the 
famous  statues  of  the  Laocoon  and  the  Apollo  Belvi- 
dere,  and  the  church  of  St.  Peter  at  Rome,  the  most 
magnificent  building  perhaps  in  the  world — all  alike 

*  "The  very  essence  of  truth  is  plainness  and  brightness; 
the  darkness  and  crookedness  is  our  own.  The  wisdom  of  God 
created  understanding  fit  and  proportionable  to  truth,  the  object 
and  end  of  it,  as  the  eye  to  the  thing  visible.  If  our  under- 
standing have  a  film  of  ignorance  over  it,  or  be  blear  with 
gazing  on  other  false  glistenings,  what  is  that  to  truth?  If 
we  will  but  purge  with  sovereign  eye-salve  that  intellectual 
ray  which  God  hath  planted  in  us,  then  we  would  believe  the 
Scriptures  protesting  their  own  plainness  and  perspicuity, 
calling  to  them  to  be  instructed,  not  only  the  wise  and  the 
learned,  but  the  simple." — Milton,  Of  Reformation  in  England, 
Book  I. 
3 


22  INTRODUCTION. 

are  generally  found  to  disappoint  a  person  on  his  first 
view  of  them.  But  let  him  be  sure  that  they  are  ex- 
cellent, and  that  he  only  wants  the  knowledge  and 
the  taste  to  appreciate  them  properly,  and  every  suc- 
ceeding sight  of  them  will  open  his  eyes  more  and 
more,  till  he  learns  to  admire  them,  not  indeed  as 
much  as  they  deserve,  but  so  much  as  greatly  to  en- 
rich and  enlarge  his  own  mind,  by  becoming  acquaint- 
ed with  such  perfect  beauty.  So  it  is  with  great 
poets ;  they  must  be  read  often  and  studied  reverent- 
ly, before  an  unpractised  mind  can  gain  any  thing 
like  an  adequate  notion  of  their  excellence.  The 
reader  must  be  convinced  that  if  he  does  not  fully 
admire  them,  it  is  his  fault,  and  not  theirs.  Here,  as 
in  every  thing  else,  humility  is  the  surest  path  to  ex- 
altation." These  remarks  apply  with  the  greatest 
force  to  the  Scriptures,  embodying  as  they  do,  in  the 
noblest  and  most  appropriate  language,  not  the  con- 
ceptions of  the  human  intellect,  but  truths  so  unusual, 
so  grand,  and  so  ennobling,  that  even  after  having 
been  revealed,  they  cannot  be  received  by  the  natural 
man  without  a  discernment  imparted  by  the  Spirit. 
The  truths  illustrated  in  this  Song  are  pre-eminently 
among  those  which  are  spiritually  discerned.  They 
are  not  so  much  the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  as  the  things  which  are  brought  more  particu- 
larly into  view  as  we  go  on  unto  perfection.  The 
nature  of  the  subject,  love,  makes  it  belong  to  the 
advanced  part  of  the  Christian  life  more  especially; 
and  as  sanctification  refines  our  spiritual  perceptions, 
and  by  raising  us  from  our  degradation  of  darkness 


INTRODUCTION.  23 

towards  the  condition  of  saints  in  light,  gives  us  the 
ability  to  appreciate  the  love  of  Jesus — we  see  more 
and  more  beauty  in  this  Song;  we  see  in  it  nothing  but 
beauty ;  we  find  our  objections  against  it  arose  from  the 
corrupt  heart  rather  than  from  the  book ;  we  feel  thank- 
ful that  the  Author  of  our  faith  has  provided  for  us 
words  so  rich,  so  glowing,  and  so  perfect  for  giving 
utterance  to  our  emotions;  and  we  rejoice  to  find, 
under  the  light  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  our  unsanctified 
misapprehensions  giving  place  to  the  conviction,  that 
the  love  of  Jesus  towards  us  is  infinitely  greater  than 
is  even  here  expressed. 

The  Scriptures  contain  truths,  promises,  and  illus- 
trations, adapted  to  every  variety  of  circumstances, 
and  to  every  grade  of  religious  experience.  Particu- 
lar truths  can  be  fully  understood,  and  the  power  of 
certain  promises  can  be  adequately  felt,  only  by  our 
being  brought  into  situations  where  the  soul  is  made 
to  feel  the  need  of  those  truths  and  those  promises. 
Here  are  innumerable  gradations  of  truth  adapted  to 
the  different  degrees  of  the  growth  of  the  soul  in  grace, 
from  the  first  exercises  of  conviction  to  the  highest 
measure  of  sanctification  attainable  on  earth.  A  par- 
ticular development  of  our  spiritual  perceptions  is 
requisite  for  feeling  the  beauty  and  power  of  any  one 
of  the  portions  of  truth  in  this  ascending  scale ;  and 
as  the  unrenewed  man,  even  with  profound  learning, 
fails  to  apprehend  the  perfection  of  holy  beauty  in 
passages  with  which  he  has  a  mere  scientific  acquaint- 
ance, the  Christian,  while  understanding  all  the  heart 
can  know  of  the  truths  adapted  to  the  steps  of  religious 


24  INTRODUCTION. 

experience  through  which  he  has  passed,  may  yet  fail 
to  comprehend  and  appreciate  thoroughly,  portions  of 
holy  writ  lying  in  regions  of  pious  exercises  whereunto 
he  has  not  attained.  Three  things  are  necessary  for 
understanding  perfectly  the  Scriptures :  such  an  ac- 
quaintance with  them  as  may  be  derived  from  human 
learning;  the  illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  a 
position  in  the  circumstances  for  which  those  truths 
were  specially  given  and  adapted.  The  two  last  are 
not  inferior  in  importance  to  the  first,  and  other  things 
being  equal,  the  man  who  has  the  advantage  not  only 
of  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  but  of  being  led  by  Pro- 
vidence through  the  circumstances  of  life  in  which  the 
want  of  certain  promises  is  felt,  and  their  comforting 
power  enjoyed,  will  be  better  able  than  other  per- 
sons to  see  beauty,  and  richness,  and  glory,  in  many 
domains  of  gospel  truths,  which  must  have  lain  unob- 
served by  him,  had  he  not  been  drawn  into  these  green 
pastures,  and  beside  these  still  waters,  by  the  Presence 
that  dwelt  amid  the  pillar  of  fire  in  the  wilderness. 

Hence,  this  Song  is  not  so  much  a  favourite  in  the 
early  stage  of  the  religious  life,  as  at  subsequent  pe- 
riods when  we  have  grown  in  grace.  It  is  the  manual 
of  the  advanced  Christian.  When  love  has  been  more 
perfected  by  the  Spirit,  hither  do  we  come  for  expres- 
sions of  that  love.  When  we  are  anxious  to  hear  from 
the  lips  of  Jesus  the  fulness  of  his  love  to  us,  here  do 
we  rejoice  to  sit  and  listen.  The  Jews  were  not  wrong 
when  they  represented  this  book  as  the  holy  of  holies 
in  the  fabric  of  revelation ;  for  assuredly,  the  voice 
here  speaking,  the  living  oracles  here  uttered,  can  be 


INTRODUCTION.  25 

heard  only  by  those  who  have  been  initiated  into  the 
mysteries  of  godliness  and  dwell  under  the  shadow  of 
the  Almighty.  Accordingly,  this  book  has  been  a 
favourite  with  eminent  Christians.  While  some  per- 
sons versed  in  biblical  lore,  but  ignorant  of  the  alpha- 
bet of  piety,  can  sec  nothing  further  in  this  Song  than 
an  amatory  eclogue;  and  others,  whose  piety  we  are 
far  from  doubting,  can  represent  these  words  given  by 
inspiration,  as  "  leading  us  away  from  pure  and  spiri- 
tual devotion,"  by  "connecting  amatory  ideas  and 
feelings  with  a  devotional  frame  of  mind;"*  there  is, 
and  always  has  been,  in  the  Church,  a  class  of  persons 
of  no  cpiestionable  character  for  ability,  learning,  or 
holiness,  who  esteem  this  book  among  the  choicest 
portions  of  the  word  of  God.  Were  we  to  speak  of 
the  partiality  of  Lady  Guyon  for  this  book,  some 
might  reply  she  was  a  mystic.  Whether  mystic  or 
not,  far  better  would  it  be  for  the  world,  were  the  tone 
of  her  deep,  fervent,  energetic  piety,  more  common. 
But  who  will  bring  the  charge  of  mysticism  against 
Leighton,  Owen,  Romaine,  President  Edwards,  and 
Chalmers.  That  most  profound  of  metaphysicians, 
the  immortal  author  of  the  treatise  on  the  Freedom 
of  the  Will,  was  peculiarly  fond  of  the  book  of  Canti- 
cles, and  read  and  meditated  much  upon  it.  "  The 
whole  book  of  Canticles,"  says  he,  "used  to  be  plea- 
sant to  me,  and  I  used  to  be  much  in  reading  it  about 
that  time,  and  found  from  time  to  time  an  inward 
sweetness  that  would  carry  me  away  in  my  contem- 

*  Stuart  on  the  Old  Testament,  p.  374. 
3* 


26  INTRODUCTION. 

plations."  The  great  leader  of  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland  in  her  exodus,  speaking  of  Dr.  Vye  Smith's 
asserting  the  non-inspiration  of  the  Song,  says  :  "  It 
•would  bespeak  not  only  a  more  pious  but  a  more  phi- 
losophic docility,  to  leave  that  book  in  undisturbed 
possession  of  the  place  which  it  now  enjoys,  where  it 
might  minister,  as  in  ages  heretofore,  to  the  saintly 
and  seraphic  contemplations  of  the  advanced  Chris- 
tian, who  discovers  that  in  this  poem  a  greater  than 
Solomon  is  here,  whose  name  to  him  is  as  ointment 
poured  forth,  and  who,  while  he  luxuriates  with  spiri- 
tual satisfaction  over  pages  that  the  world  has  unhal- 
lowed, breathes  of  the  ethereal  purity  of  the  third 
heavens,  as  well  as  their  ethereal  fervour."  Owen 
says :  "  Then  may  a  man  judge  himself  to  have  some- 
what profited  in  tthe  experience  of  a  mystery  of  a 
blessed  intercourse  and  communion  with  Christ,  when 
the  expressions  of  love  in  that  holy  Dialogue,  the 
Song,  do  give  light  and  life  unto  his  mind,  and  effica- 
ciously communicate  unto  him  an  experience  of  their 
power.  But  because  these  things  are  little  under- 
stood by  many,  the  book  itself  is  much  neglected, 
if  not  despised."  In  the  words  of  the  saintly 
McCheyne,  "No  book  furnishes  a  better  test  than 
does  the  Song  of  the  depth  of  a  man's  Christianity. 
If  his  religion  be  in  his  head  only,  a  dry  form  of  doc- 
trines ;  or  if  it  hath  place  merely  in  his  fancy,  like 
Pliable  in  Pilgrim's  Progress,  he  will  see  nothing  here 
to  attract  him.  But  if  his  religion  have  a  hold  on  his 
heart,  this  will  be  a  favourite  portion  of  the  word  of 
God."     Beza,   the  friend   and   associate    of  Calvin, 


INTRODUCTION.  27 

writes:  "  Those  instructed  and  advanced  in  the  divine 
life,  the  writer  of  this  Song  does,  as  it  were,  carry 
away  with  him  beyond  the  regions  of  earth  to  the  con- 
templation of  heavenly  things — as  though  being  now 
citizens  of  heaven,  they  might  knock  for  admission  at 
its  gates."  Rutherford's  Letters,  so  rich  in  pious  af- 
fection and  heavenly  unction,  take  their  colouring  from 
the  Song;  and  McCheyne,  who  found  in  these  "Let- 
ters" daily  delight,  though  dying  at  the  age  of  nine 
and  twenty,  had  scarcely  left  himself  a  single  text  of 
the  Song  on  which  he  had  not  already  discoursed. 

When,  therefore,  this  book  is  admitted  to  be  in- 
spired, and  to  have  been  sanctioned  and  loved  by 
the  ablest  and  most  saintly  men  of  even  the  present 
age,  those  who  make  these  concessions,  yet  hold  the 
book  in  disesteem,  would  act  with  humility  and  wis- 
dom by  feeling  that  the  difficulty  in  appreciating  it 
lies  with  themselves.  Much  of  what  is  censured  as 
exceptionable,  disappears  from  the  Song  when  read 
in  the  original,  rather  than  in  our  translation,  and 
properly  understood.  There  are  arguments  on  this 
point  which  we  might  urge,  but  on  which  we  do  not 
rely.  It  might  be  stated  that  the  Song  is  in  strict 
accordance  with  the  nature  of  oriental  poetry,  and 
that  many  things  which  appear  strange  to  us  are 
but  the  peculiarities  of  this  oriental  costume.  The 
Hebrew  modes  of  thinking  and  writing  were  different 
from  ours;  though  not  more  so  than  the  habits  of 
thought  and  diction  yet  found  in  the  literature  of 
eastern  nations.  Ancient  fable  mentions  a  person 
who  possessed  the  power  of  turning  every  thing  he 


28  INTRODUCTION." 

touched  into  gold :  some  minds  possess  the  faculty  of 
turning  every  thing  they  touch  into  intellectual  gold; 
others  have  the  characteristic  of  turning  every  thing 
into  impurity;  even  the  grace  of  God  into  lascivious- 
ness,  and  his  truth  into  a  lie.  Much  of  the  alleged 
indelicacy  of  this  book,  is  the  fault  not  of  the  author 
but  of  the  translators,  as  may  be  seen  by  entering 
into  the  spirit  of  the  original,  or  by  reading  any  good 
translation,  like  that  of  Rosenmuller,  Dopke,  or  John 
Mason  Good. 

But  on  the  points  here  mentioned  we  shall  not 
insist.  We  take  the  higher  and  nobler  ground,  which 
we  trust  the  subsequent  exposition  will  show  to  be 
truth,  that  there  is  nothing  in  this  Song  contrary  to 
delicacy  of  taste  and  purity  of  thought.  Even  what 
are  called  by  some  persons  the  indelicate  passages  of 
holy  writ,  are  far  from  being  found  in  this  Song. 
We  venture  to  assert,  that  the  parts  looked  on 
with  most  distrust,  are  capable  of  a  natural  inter- 
pretation incapable  of  oifending  the  most  sensitive 
modesty,  and  tending  directly  to  our  edification  in 
holiness.  With  the  same  reasonable  spirit  which  is 
essential  for  enjoying  the  finest  works  of  uninspired 
genius,  let  us  feel  that  this  Song  is  every  thing  it 
has  been  represented  by  an  innumerable  cloud  of 
witnesses;  that  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  reject  or 
neglect  a  book  so  manifestly  of  Divine  origin ;  that 
if  the  Song  has  been  ridiculed  by  the  corrupt  heart, 
or  misused  to  purposes  of  evil,  the  same  has  happened 
with  almost  every  other  portion  of  the  Bible;  that 
all  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is 


INTRODUCTION.  '2d, 

profitable ;  and  that  by  patient  continuance  as  learn- 
ers at  the  feet  of  Him  who  is  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart,  we  shall  become  sensible  of  its  beauties,  and 
filled  with  admiring  love. 

As  the  enemy  of  souls  contests  every  step  of  our 
progress  from  error  into  the  full  light  of  truth,  failing 
to  make  us  reject  this  book  as  uninspired,  or  as 
improper  for  the  use  of  the  pure  in  heart,  he  will 
be  equally  satisfied  in  depriving  us  of  its  benefit, 
by  leading  to  a  wrong  interpretation.  Much  of  the 
dislike  to  this  Song,  even  by  Christians,  has  arisen 
from  the  erroneous  method  pursued  in  the  exposition, 
by  some  of  the  most  pious  commentators.  Even  a 
pious  man  may  go  astray,  through  a  false  theory  of 
interpretation.  There  is  no  book  in  the  Bible  further 
removed  than  this  Song,  beyond  the  capability  of  an 
impious  man,  even  of  great  learning,  for  giving  a 
proper  exposition.  There  are  portions  of  Scripture 
containing  an  unadorned  statement  of  doctrine  or 
facts,  which  a  scholar  who  takes  them  up  as  he  would 
an  uninspired  classic,  may  interpret  fairly  according 
to  the  literal  meaning.  Such  a  man  may  be  called  a 
commentator  on  the  Scriptures,  he  can  hardly  be 
called  an  expounder  of  them.  It  is  a  dangerous 
error,  and  one  into  which  the  unsanctified  heart  is 
continually  liable  to  fall,  that  learning  is  the  one 
essential  thing  in  biblical  interpretation.  The  im- 
portance in  this  book,  of  a  well  furnished  head,  may 
cause  us  to  undervalue  the  aid  necessary  from  a  pious 
heart.  Bringing  to  the  subject  of  religion  our  modes 
of  thinking  on  common  topics,  we   forget  that  the 


,30  INTRODUCTION. 

Scriptures  have  difficulties  which  require  spiritual 
discernment,  no  less  than  philological  acumen,  and 
that  a  man  may  "understand  all  mysteries  and  all 
knowledge,"  while  destitute  of  the  love  which  is  the 
key  to  the  solution  of  its  deepest  and  most  edifying 
problems.  The  mere  philologist  and  antiquary  per- 
form an  important  work  in  the  business  of  exposition. 
It  is  nothing  more  than  the  work  of  hewing  the  wood 
and  drawing  the  water.  In  religious  worship,  the 
tendency  of  the  heart,  under  its  corrupt  inclinations, 
is  to  exalt  the  ceremonial  above  the  spiritual ;  and  in 
devotion  to  the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  we  are  in 
danger  of  exalting  the  scientific  above  the  spiritual ; 
of  resting  in  the  means,  rather  than  in  the  end;  in 
learned  investigation,  rather  than  in  the  spiritual  ap- 
prehension by  the  heart,  of  the  truths  to  which  those 
investigations  lead.  The  enemy  of  holiness  and  pa- 
rent of  error  cares  not  in  what  way  he  succeeds  in 
keeping  us  from  understanding  the  truth;  whether  by 
inducing  us  to  neglect  the  essential  aids  of  learning 
and  study,  under  the  fanatical  impression  that  the 
Spirit  will  give  all  needed  illumination  without  the 
use  of  means,  or  by  leading  us  to  rest  in  these  scien- 
tific investigations  alone,  without  the  indispensable 
assistance  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Here,  especially,  must 
the  well  furnished  head  be  found  in  alliance  with  a 
heart  controlled  by  grace.  There  is  no  portion  of 
the  Scriptures  which  requires  more  than  does  this 
Song,  a  sanctified  state  of  the  affections  in  him  who 
undertakes  the  interpretation.  Without  this,  the 
nlarrow  of  the  book  cannot  be  relished  or  detected. 


INTRODUCTION.  31 

Hove,  especially,  are  things  which  must  be  not  so 
much  philologically,  as  spiritually  discerned;  and 
which,  to  the  natural  mind,  however  learned,  without 
the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  must  appear  as  absolute 
foolishness.  To  such  we  may  say,  in  the  language 
of  Herbert: 

"  Slight  not  these  few  words; 
If  truly  said,  they  may  take  part 
Among  the  hest  in  art. 
The  fineness  which  a  hymn  or  psalm  affords, 
Is,  when  the  soul  unto  the  lines  accords." 

In  this  Song,  truth  is  taught,  not  by  didactic 
statements,  but  by  figurative  illustrations.  As  the 
doctrines  relating  to  the  person  and  work  of  Jesus 
are  set  forth  literally  in  the  New  Testament,  but  are 
illustrated  by  the  emblems  of  the  Jewish  service ;  so 
the  reciprocal  love  of  Christ  and  his  people,  unfolded 
by  plain  statement  in  other  portions  of  the  Bible, 
is  here  elucidated  by  poetical  imagery  and  compari- 
sons. The  types  are  correctly  interpreted  by  a  know- 
ledge of  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Testament,  while 
those  doctrines  are  in  turn  made  clear  only  by  intelli- 
gent acquaintance  with  the  meaning  of  the  types. 
And  the  love  of  the  Redeemer  and  the  redeemed,  as 
taught  by  himself  and  his  inspired  disciples,  is  illus- 
trated in  the  emblematical  language  of  this  Song; 
while,  at  the  same  time,  the  key  to  a  knowledge  of 
these  instructive  figures  is  found  in  acquaintance  with 
the  divine  love  here  so  beautifully  elucidated.  A  sin- 
gle emblem  or  illustration,  standing  out  by  itself,  is 


32  INTRODUCTION. 

called  a  type  or  figure  of  things  to  come.  When  the 
emblems  arc  multiplied,  and  the  figure  continued  to 
some  length,  the  whole  becomes  an  allegory.  Such 
is  the  nature  of  this  book.  It  is  an  allegorical  illus- 
tration of  the  operations  of  love  in  the  bosom  of  the 
saint  and  of  the  Redeemer. 

Lowth  defines  an  allegory  to  be  "  a  figure,  which, 
under  the  literal  sense  of  the  words,  conceals  a  foreign 
or  a  distant  meaning."  Dividing  allegories  into  three 
kinds,  the  continued  metaphor,  the  parabolic  allegory, 
and  the  mystical  or  historic  allegory,  he  supposes  this 
Song  to  belong  to  the  third  class,  which  conveys 
under  the  veil  of  some  historical  narrative  a  sacred 
and  more  elevated  meaning.  According  to  him,  the 
parabolic  allegory  "consists  of  a  continued  narration 
of  fictitious  events,  applied  by  way  of  simile  to  the 
illustration  of  some  important  truth."  The  difference 
between  the  historic  and  the  parabolic  allegory  lies  in 
this  fact :  in  the  latter,  the  incidents  are  partly  or 
wholly  fictitious ;  in  the  former  they  are  entirely  real. 
We  differ  from  him,  in  holding  this  book  to  belong 
to  the  parabolic,  rather  than  the  historic,  allegory. 
Fairbairn's  definition  is  good:*  "An  allegory  is  a 
narrative,  either  expressly  feigned  for  the  purpose, 
or,  if  describing  facts  which  really  took  place,  de- 
scribing them  only  for  the  purpose  of  representing 
certain  higher  truths  or  principles  than  the  narrative 
in  its  immediate  representation,  whether  real  or  ficti- 
tious, could  possibly  have  taught.      The   immediate 

*  Fairbairn's  Typology,  vol.  i.  p.  5. 


INTRODUCTION.  83 

representation,  therefore,  is  either  invented,  or  at 
least  used,  as  a  mere  cover  for  the  higher  sense, 
which  may  refer  to  things  ever  so  remote  from  those 
primarily  denoted,  if  only  the  corresponding  relations 
are  preserved."  The  inquiry  then  arises — Receiving 
this  book  as  a  part  of  the  canon,  what  reasons  have 
we  for  giving  it  an  allegorical  interpretation  ?  While 
proceeding  to  mention  these,  we  consider  the  point  as 
incontestably  settled,  that  no  portion  of  the  Scriptures 
has  a  better  right  than  this  Song  to  a  place  among 
the  pages  of  inspiration.  Taking  this  book  as  canon- 
ical, are  we  to  go  no  further  than  the  literal  import, 
or  are  we  to  give  it  an  allegorical  meaning?  We 
expound  it  allegorically  for  the  following  reasons. 

1.  The  reception  of  this  book  into  the  canon  can- 
not be  accounted  for  but  on  the  ground  that  it 
represents  allegorically  the  reciprocal  love  of  Christ 
and  his  people.  There  must  have  been  some  reason 
for  taking  it  into  the  canon.  It  could  not  have 
been  for  singing  of  carnal  love:  this  the  whole  aim  of 
the  Scriptures  opposes.  And  when  such  men  as 
Umbreit,  Ammon,  and  Velthusen  maintain  that  it 
consists  of  amatory  epistles  by  Solomon,  and  Michac- 
lis  supposes  it  was  placed  here  to  guard  against  the 
opinions  of  those  who  hold  conjugal  love  inconsistent 
with  the  love  of  God — they  forget  that  a  house 
divided  against  itself  cannot  stand ;  that  as  the 
design  of  the  Scriptures  is  to  effect  the  purity  of 
heart  necessary  for  seeing  God,  they  cannot  by  any 
possibility  sing  of  illicit  love  or  even  the  praises  of 
conjugal  affection.  "Impossible!  impossible!"  says 
4 


34  INTRODUCTION. 

Aben  Ezra,  the  celebrated  rabbi,  "  that  the  Song  of 
songs  should  treat  of  carnal  love ;  every  thing  is  ex- 
pressed in  it  in  the  way  of  allegory.  Were  not  the 
book  of  the  highest  dignity,  it  could  never  have  been 
incorporated  among  the  sacred  writings.  Nor  on  this 
point  is  there  any  controversy."  To  all  such  objec- 
tions, the  answer  of  Rosenmiiller  is  sufficient :  "  The 
universal  genius  and  method  of  the  sacred  books 
exclude  the  idea  of  admitting  among  them  songs 
about  the  ordinary  love  of  man  and  woman."  The 
marriage  of  Solomon  was  not  a  thing  of  such  impor- 
tance, as  to  warrant  the  Jews  in  placing  among  the 
sacred  Scriptures  a  song  restricted  to  this  topic  only, 
and  uninspired.  Nothing  was  admitted  into  the 
canon  that  is  not  inspired,  and  that  has  not  a  direct 
bearing  on  the  spiritual  improvement  of  man — that 
is  not  profitable  for  instruction  in  righteousness. 
2  Tim.  iii.  16. 

2.  The  allegorical  interpretation  is  in  perfect  ac- 
cordance with  the  spirit  of  oriental  poetry.  "  The 
Song  of  songs  is  an  oriental  poem ;  and  this  allegoric 
mode  of  describing  the  sacred  union  subsisting  be- 
tween  mankind  at  large,  or  an  individual  and  pious 
soul,  and  the  great  Creator,  is  common  to  almost  all 
eastern  poets,  from  the  earliest  down  to  the  present 
age.  It  is  impossible,  without  such  an  esoteric  inter- 
pretation, to  understand  many  of  the  passages  of  the 
chaste  and  virtuous  Sadi,  or  the  more  impassioned 
Hafiz;  and  the  Turkish  commentators,  Feridun,  Sudi, 
and  Seid  Ali,  following  the  example  of  the  ancient 
Hushangis,  have  uniformly  thus  interpreted  them,  as 


INTRODUCTION.  35 

they  have  also  the  writings  of  all   the    Sufi  poets; 
though  in  many  instances  they  have  unquestionably 
pursued    their    mystic    meaning    to    an    extravagant 
length.     The  Leili  and  Mejuun  of  the  Persians  may 
be   contemplated    as  the  royal  bridegroom   and   his 
beloved  spouse  of  the  Hebrews.     The  former  have 
furnished  a  subject  for  a  variety  of  the  bards  of  Iran. 
But  whether,  in    the    instance    before  us,   Solomon 
intended,  or  not,  to   introduce  the   mystic  allegory 
here  assumed,  it   is   incontrovertible    that   precisely 
such  an  allegory  exists  in  the  Mesnavi,  or  poem  upon 
the  loves  of  the  same  illustrious  personages,  Leili  and 
Mejuun,    by   the    elegant   Nezami,  who,   as  well    as 
Hafiz,  in  the  opinion  of  Sir  William  Jones,  always 
appears  to  apply  the  name  of  Leili  to  the  omnipresent 
Spirit  of   God.     This  emblematic  mysticism  in  the 
bards  of  Iran,  is  quite  as  conspicuous  in  those  of 
India;  and   the  Vedantis,  or    Hindu  commentators, 
have  been  as  eager  as  the  Sufis  themselves  to  attri- 
bute such  a  double   meaning  to  their  compositions. 
Of  all  the  poems  of  the  east,  by  far  the  nearest  in 
subject,  style,  and  imagery,  to  the  Songs  of  Solomon, 
are  the  Gitagovinda,*  or   Songs  of  Jayadeva.     The 
subject  of  the  inimitable   Jayadeva  is  the  loves  of 
Crishna  and   Radha,  or  the  reciprocal  attraction  be- 
tween the  divine  goodness  and  the  human  soul.     His 
style,  like  that  of  the  Hebrew  bard,  is  in  the  highest 
degree  flowery ;  his  poem  consists  of  distinct  songs  or 

*  A  translation  of  this  may  be  found  in  Adam  Clark's  Com- 
mentary on  the  Song,  and  in  Sir  William  Jones's  Works. 


36  INTRODUCTION. 

idyls,  some  of  which  are  soliloquies,  and  others  dia- 
logues ;  but  all  of  them,  like  the  Song  of  songs,  con- 
fined to  the  same  theme,  and  in  some  measure  pro- 
gressive in  its  history."*  Major  Scott  Waring  says: 
"The  Persians  insist  that  we  should  give  them  the 
credit  of  understanding  their  own  language ;  that  all 
the  odes  of  their  celebrated  poets  are  mystical,  and 
breathe  a  fervent  spirit  of  adoration  towards  the 
Supreme  Being.  They  maintain  that  the  poets,  being 
generally  Soofees,  profess  eager  desire  without  carnal 
affection,  and  circulate  the  cup,  but  no  material  gob- 
let, since  all  is  spiritual  to  them,  all  is  mystery  with- 
in mystery.  In  fact,  they  regard  the  poetry  as  of 
the  same  nature  as  Solomon's  Song ;  and,  indeed,  the 
fact  that  so  large  a  proportion  of  the  poetry  of  West- 
ern Asia,  that  is,  of  Arabia  and  Persia,  is  employed 
in  the  expression  of  religious  emotions  mystically, 
under  the  same  image  that  we  find'  there,  is  a  very 
strong  argument  for  the  general  opinion  that  the 
Canticles  form  a  mystical,  or  allegorical,  or  religious 
poem,  the  details  of  which,  although  they  seem  to  us 
hard  to  be  understood,  are  perfectly  intelligible,  in  a 
sacred  sense,  to  the  Persian  and  Arabian  of  the  pre- 
sent clay,  as  they  were  to  the  ancient  Hebrew." 

In  his  essay  on  the  mystical  poetry  of  the  Persians 
and  Hindus,  Sir  William  Jones  says  all  that  need  be 
said  on  this  subject:  "A  figurative  mode  of  express- 
ins:  the  fervour  of  devotion,  or  the  ardent  love  of  ere- 

*  Song  of  songs,  or  Sacred  Idyls,  by  John  Mason  Good, 
p.  20. 


INTRODUCTION.  37 

ated  spirits  towards  their  beneficent  Creator,  has  pre- 
vailed from  time  immemorial  in  Asia:  particularly 
among  the  Persian  theists,  both  ancient  Hushangis 
and  modern  Sufis.  This  singular  species  of  poetry 
consists  almost  wholly  of  a  mystical  religious  allegory, 
though  it  seems,  on  a  transient  view,  to  contain  only 
the  sentiments  of  a  wild  and  voluptuous  libertinism. 
Passages  in  Barrow  on  the  love  of  God,  and  the  mys- 
terious union  of  the  soul  with  him,  border  on  quietism 
and  enthusiastic  devotion;  and  differ  only  from  the 
mystical  theology  of  the  Sufis  and  Yogis,  as  the 
flowers  and  fruits  of  Europe  differ  in  scent  and  flavour 
from  those  of  Asia ;  or  as  European  differs  from  Asi- 
atic eloquence ;  the  same  strain,  in  poetical  measure, 
would  rise  up  to  the  odes  of  Spencer  on  divine  love 
and  beauty;  and  in  a  higher  key,  with  richer  embel- 
lishments, to  the  songs  of  Hafiz  and  Jayadeva,  the 
raptures  of  the  Masnavi,  and  the  mysteries  of  the 
Bhagavat.  Many  zealous  admirers  of  Hafiz  insist 
that  by  wine  he  invariably  means  devotion,  by  kisses 
and  embraces  the  raptures  of  piety.  The  poet  him- 
self gives  a  colour  in  many  passages  to  such  an  inter- 
pretation ;  and  without  it  we  can  hardly  conceive  that 
his  poems,  or  those  of  his  numerous  imitators,  would 
be  tolerated  in  a  Musselman  country,  especially  at 
Constantinople,  where  they  are  venerated  as  divine 
compositions."*  The  Sufis  have  a  regular  lexicon  of 
large  size,  the  express  design  of  which  is  to  give  the 

*  Sir  W.  Jones's  essay  on  "  The  Mystical  Poetry  of  the  Per- 
sians and  Hindus." — Works,  vol.  i.  p.  445. 


INTRODUCTION. 


allegorical  meaning  of  the  words  most  frequently 
used  in  this  kind  of  poetry — as  in  the  following  speci- 
mens; wine  means  devotion;  sleep,  meditation;  per- 
fume, religious  hope;  kiss,  pious  rapture;  ebriety, 
religious  ardour;  lips,  mysteries  of  God;  beauty,  per- 
fections of  God ;  tresses,  glory  of  God. 

As  the  Song  is  an  oriental  production,  the  allegori- 
cal interpretation  is  the  natural  one  to  a  person  ac- 
quainted with  the  spirit  of  oriental  literature.  To 
such,  the  literal  interpretation  is  that  which  appears 
far-fetched,  vapid,  and  unnatural. 

3.  The  names  employed  to  designate  the  two  im- 
portant persons  in  this  Song,  prove  it  to  he  an  alle- 
gory. Shelomoh  and  Shulamith  differ  from  each 
other  only  as  Cornelius  differs  from  Cornelia.  They 
are  in  as  perfect  keeping  with  the  tenor  of  the  alle- 
gory, as  John  Bunyan's  Christian  and  Christiana  are 
with  the  scope  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress.  According 
to  prophecy,  Jesus  was  to  he  called  the  Prince  of 
peace;  and  angels  heralded  his  coming  as  "peace  on 
earth."  The  names  here  adopted  are  in  accordance 
with  such  a  character — Shelomoh  meaning  Prince  of 
peace;  and  Shulamith,  the  bride  of  Shelomoh,  the 
Princess  of  peace. 

4.  There  are  many  things  in  the  Song,  which  can- 
not be  explained  by  any  knowledge  we  have  of  He- 
brew customs ;  nor  indeed  in  any  way,  without  taking 
the  book  as  an  allegory,  rather  than  a  personal  nar- 
rative, without  reference  to  facts  as  existing,  and 
solely  to  illustrate  truth.  Such  departure  from  rigid 
facts  and  customs  is  allowable  in   an  allegory.     In 


INTRODUCTION.  39 

reading  history,  our  object  is  to  have  reproduced 
before  the  mind  a  picture  of  events  as  they  really 
existed :  in  an  allegory  we  look  for  nothing  further 
than  the  illustration  of  truth ;  and  therefore  he  who 
weaves  it,  is  not  bound,  in  bringing  together  the  inci- 
dents, to  follow  any  order  of  nature  or  of  facts;  but 
is  at  liberty  to  combine  incidents  in  any  way  that 
imagination,  guided  by  reason,  sees  conducive  to  the 
end  in  view.  "By  what  other  means,"  says  Warbur- 
ton,  "  except  by  revelation,  can  an  allegorical  writing 
be  known  to  be  allegorical,  but  by  circumstances  in  it 
which  cannot  be  reconciled  to  the  story  or  fable  that 
serves  both  for  a  cover  and  vehicle  to  the  moral? 
When  the  allegory  is  of  some  length,  it  can  scarce  be 
otherwise  but  that  some  circumstances  in  it  must  be 
varied  from  the  fact  to  adapt  it  to  the  moral."*  In 
such  compositions  as  the  vision  of  Mirza  or  of  Theo- 
dore, the  history  of  Seged  or  the  Pilgrim's  Progress, 
the  adventures  of  Sir  Guyon  or  of  Faustus,  we  do  not 
expect  an  adherence  to  facts,  or  even  to  probabilities. 
"  The  poet  is  universally  allowed  to  place  his  person- 
ages, even  when  strictly  historical,  in  circumstances 
which  we  know  could  not  have  been  those  that  actual- 
ly surrounded  them."f  And  we  must  notice  the  dif- 
ference between  an  allegory  and  a  type.  Types  are 
incidents,  personages,  or  objects,  appointed  under  the 
Old  Dispensation  as  illustrations  of  truths  to  be  there- 
after fully  revealed.     The  meaning  conveyed  by  them 

*  Warburton's  Divine  Legation,  book  iii.,  274. 

f  Edinburgh  Review,  No.  181,  p.  109. 


40  INTRODUCTION. 

is  metaphorical,  but  the  incidents  in  which  that  mean- 
ing is  embodied,  are  not  to  any  degree  imaginary, 
but  are  throughout  real.  While  an  allegory  is  a  con- 
tinued metaphor,  the  materials  composing  it  may  be 
drawn  indiscriminately  from  the  domains  of  fact  or  of 
fiction.  This  Song  is  not  a  typical,  but  an  allegorical 
representation  of  the  love  of  Christ  and  his  Church, 
a  love  that  existed  and  needed  elucidation  under  the 
Old  Economy,  no  less  than  under  the  New.  Hence 
many  things  are  found  in  it,  that  are  a  deviation  from 
Jewish  customs,  and  from  human  facts;  and  are  here 
written  down  for  setting  in  a  clear  light  this  won- 
drous love.  It  will  be  sufficient  now  to  refer  to  chap, 
iii.  2,  chap.  v.  7,  and  chap.  iii.  10,  "paved  with  love." 
Therefore  it  is  that  Rosenmiiller  says,  on  chap.  iii.  4, 
Sine  satis  patet  aM-^yopixJs  hsec  intelligenda  esse. 
And  it  is  for  obviating  the  difficulty  arising  from  the 
disagreement  of  circumstances  here  mentioned,  with 
Jewish  antiquities,  that  some  commentators  have  re- 
sorted to  the  supposition  that  a  part  of  the  incidents 
here  recorded,  occurred  only  in  a  dream.  When  the 
book  is  viewed  as  an  allegory,  all  these  difficulties 
disappear. 

5.  The  obvious  connection  of  this  Song  with  the 
forty-fifth  and  seventy-second  psalms,  is  another  claim 
for  giving  it  an  allegorical  meaning.  The  thirty-sev- 
enth psalm  bears  a  very  strong  resemblance  to  the  book 
of  Proverbs,  and  the  thirty-ninth  psalm  to  the  book  of 
Job;  as  the  Song  does  to  the  psalms  just  mentioned. 
There  are  certainly  trilogies  to  be  found  in  the  book 
of  Psalms,  though  we  would  run  no  parallel  whatever 


INTRODUCTION.  41 

between  them  and  the  trilogy  of  the  Greek  drama. 
Thus,  according  to  Hengstenberg,  psalms  cviii.  ex. 
and  cxi.  form  a  trilogy.  The  same  is  true  of  the 
Song  of  Solomon,  and  psalm  xlv.  and  Ixxii.  They  are 
all  the  parts  of  a  whole,  and  draw  their  imagery  from 
the  court  and  reign  of  Solomon.  Psalm  lxxii.  repre- 
sents the  nature  of  the  reign  of  the  Prince  of  Peace  as 
righteous,  universal,  gracious,  and  enduring;  psalm 
xlv.  sets  forth,  under  the  marriage  of  a  noble,  beau- 
teous, conquering  prince  with  a  foreign  princess, 
the  relation  of  the  Messiah  to  his  chosen  people;  the 
Song  of  Solomon  illustrates  under  a  comparison  drawn 
from  the  mutual  affection  of  such  a  king  and  queen, 
doubtless  the  same  referred  to  in  psalm  xlv. — the  re- 
ciprocal love  of  Jesus  and  his  redeemed.  The  oldest 
interpreters,  both  Jewish  and  Christian,  give  these 
two  psalms  no  other  than  an  allegorical  interpreta- 
tion. Considering,  therefore,  their  identity  with  this 
book,  in  imagery,  spirit,  and  aim,  all  correct  princi- 
ples of  exposition  require  that  we  give  to  the  Song, 
equally  with  them,  an  allegorical  interpretation. 

G.  The  Scriptures  apply  the  spirit  of  this  allegory 
to  Christ  and  the  Church.  This  is  not  indeed  done 
within  the  narrow  compass  of  the  book  called  the 
Song.  It  is  enough  that  such  application  be  found 
in  the  limits  of  the  Bible.  The  clew  to  the  meaning 
of  the  parable  of  the  sower  was  not  given  at  the 
time  it  was  spoken,  but  afterwards,  when  the  disciples 
had  been  made  to  feel  themselves  unable  to  see 
through  the  mystery,  and  had  come  to  Jesus  for  an 
explanation.     The  interpretation  of  this  parable  and 


42  INTRODUCTION. 

of  others,  is  as  much  detached  from  the  parable  as 
the  grounds  for  explaining  this  Song  are  detached 
from  the  Song.  The  clew  to  the  whole  system  of  the 
Jewish  ritual  is  not  found  till  we  come  to  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews.  The  solution  of  many  of  the  pro- 
phecies given  in  allegorical  dress,  is  to  be  got,  not  from 
any  hints  appended  as  to  the  specific  facts  pointed 
out  thereby,  but  only  from  the  general  meaning  of 
such  symbols  in  prophetical  language,  and  from  the 
future  history  of  the  world,  viewed  in  comparison 
with  such  meaning.  It  is  not  a  thing  of  the  least 
moment,  that  the  clew  to  a  prophecy,  parable,  or  alle- 
gory, be  given  in  the  book  containing  it,  or  by  the 
man  who  gave  it  utterance.  The  material  point  is, 
that  it  be  spoken  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  be  found 
within  the  word  of  God.  The  various  books  of  inspi- 
ration are  merely  different  chapters  in  the  one  great 
volume  of  revelation.  The  whole  has  one  Author, 
the  divine  Spirit  of  Wisdom,  and  whatever  truths  are 
there  found,  derive  their  authority,  "not  of  men, 
neither  by  man,"  but  from  the  presence  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  And  according  to  the  laws  of  poetic  compo- 
sition, we  could  not  expect  to  find  in  Canticles  itself, 
an  indication  that  the  book  is  an  allegory,  and  that 
such  is  its  meaning.  The  poem  is  more  finished,  and 
more  pleasant  as  a  study,  in  its  present  form,  than 
it  could  be  with  the  thread  of  the  allegory  continu- 
ally broken  by  interpolations  concerning  the  meaning. 
Is  it  necessary,  or  in  good  taste,  to  write  on  an  alle- 
gorical picture  or  piece  of  statuary,  what  it  means. 
The  finest  allegorical  poems,  and  the  finest  allcgori- 


INTRODUCTION.  43 

cal  passages  of  poems  not  wholly  allegorical,  are 
framed  on  the  same  principle  with  this  Song — of 
leaving  much  to  be  done  by  the  reader  towards 
threading  out  the  literal  meaning.  Every  piece  of 
this  kind  is  a  species  of  enigma:  the  solution  of  this 
is  to  be  sought  at  the  lips  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  he 
will  lay  open  the  veins  of  wisdom  here  contained,  to 
those  who  search  for  them  as  for  hid  treasures. 

The  question  therefore  is,  Do  we  find  in  the  Scrip- 
tures any  clew  to  the  meaning  of  an  allegory  like 
this?  any  thing  leading  us  to  suppose  that  such  lan- 
guage may  be  applied  to  the  illustration  of  the  love 
of  Christ  and  his  people  ?  On  this  point  we  have  full 
and  satisfactory  instructions.  In  many  passages,  the 
relation  of  husband  and  wife  is  used  for  setting  forth 
the  love  and  the  relations  of  the  Redeemer  and  the 
redeemed.  This  is,  in  truth,  the  leading  and  stand- 
ing comparison  on  this  subject,  throughout  the  whole 
Scriptures.  For  establishing  the  inspiration  of  a 
book,  there  is  no  necessity  for  it  to  be  quoted  by 
Christ  and  his  Apostles,  or  for  its  illustrations  to 
receive  such  sanction.  The  Song  is  not  the  only 
book  in  the  Old  Testament  where  this  comparison  is 
used.  It  is  the  leading  and  standing  comparison  on 
this  subject.  And  how  can  there  be  a  doubt  con- 
cerning its  meaning,  after  such  language  as  this: 
"I  have  likened  the  daughter  of  Zion  to  a  comely 
and  delicate  woman."  Jer.  vi.  2.  After  such  fre- 
quent repetition  of  it  through  the  compass  of  revela- 
tion, one  of  the  last  things  in  the  Scriptures  is  the 
setting  of  this  allegory  beyond  all  question,  by  calling 


44  INTRODUCTION, 

the  Church  "the  bride,  the  wife  of  the  Lamb,"  Rev. 
xxi.  9 ;  as  though  it  was  said,  The  bride  alluded  to  in 
those  many  passages  as  the  wife  of  the  Lamb,  is  the 
redeemed  Church.  And  how  could  we  expect  any 
thing  more  satisfactory  than  the  words  of  our  Saviour, 
in  Matt.  xxii.  1—10,  and  xxv.  1—13?  There  the 
meaning  is  made  clear  by  the  restriction,  "  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  certain  king  which 
made  a  marriage." 

Here,  therefore,  we  have  a  volume  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  has  given  to  man  by  inspiration,  consisting  of 
different  chapters,  called  by  us  books,  published  at  in- 
tervals, through  a  succession  of  ages,  according  to  his 
wise  arrangements  in  unfolding  the  plan  of  salvation. 
One  of  these  chapters  is  occupied  as  an  elucidation 
of  the  love  of  Christ  and  his  people,  by  means  of  a 
comparison  taken  from  the  love  of  husband  and  wife. 
In  perfect  keeping  with  the  laws  of  poetry,  this  alle- 
gory is  not  marred  by  the  introduction  of  sentences 
giving  a  clew  to  its  literal  meaning.  It  lies  in  the 
casket  of  revelation,  an  exquisite  gem,  engraved  with 
emblematical  characters,  with  nothing  literal  thereon 
to  break  the  consistency  of  their  beauty.  But  in 
other  parts  of  this  volume,  its  author,  the  Holy  Spirit, 
has  very  distinctly  stated  that  the  bride  there  intro- 
duced is  the  redeemed  Church,  the  sanctified  soul ; 
and  that  "her  Maker  is  her  husband,  the  Lord  of 
Hosts  is  his  name." 

7.  The  Scriptures  do  more  than  merely  apply  the 
spirit  of  this  allegory  to  Christ  and  his  Church;  they 
set  forth  the  union  of  Christ  and  his  Church,  as  a 


INTRODUCTION.  45 

great  fact  on  which  the  relation  of  marriage  is  found- 
ed, for  being  the  illustration  of  this  union  to  the 
comprehension  of  men.  In  Eph.  v.  22 — 33,  the 
apostle  takes  the  truth  of  the  oneness  of  Jesus  and 
his  people,  and  makes  it  the  basis  of  an  argument 
for  illustrating  and  enforcing  the  duties  of  the  mar- 
riage relation.  These  were  very  much  violated  in 
the  heathen  world,  as  they  are  even  at  the  present 
day;  they  lie  at  the  foundation  of  every  thing  good 
and  stable  among  men,  and  therefore  required  to 
be  set  in  a  very  clear  light,  and  on  a  very  strong 
basis.  This  has  been  done.  What,  therefore,  is  that 
basis?  It  is  nothing  less  than  the  union  existing 
between  Christ  and  his  people,  and  the  likeness  of 
the  relation  between  husband  and  wife  to  this  union. 
He  does  not  go  from  the  marriage  relation  to  the 
union  of  Christ  and  the  Church,  as  though  the  former 
was  the  first  and  better  established  principle;  but 
he  comes  down  from  the  union  of  Jesus  and  his 
people,  to  the  marriage  relation,  inasmuch  as  that 
union  was  the  first  and  best  recognised  fact,  and  the 
ground  of  the  reciprocal  duties  of  the  marriage  state. 
"While  man  was  formed  in  the  image  of  God,  and 
thus  bears  in  his  constitution  certain  endowments 
which  are  the  likeness  of  certain  attributes  of  the 
divine  character;  in  his  social  relation,  the  union 
between  husband  and  wife  was  intended  to  be  an 
image  of  the  relation  existing  between  Jesus  and  the 
redeemed;  just  as  the  relation  of  father  and  son  is  an 
illustration  of  the  union  between  two  persons  of  the 
Trinity.  In  the  purpose  of  God,  this  union  existed 
5 


46  INTRODUCTION. 

before  the  creation  of  man  and  the  institution  of  the 
marriage  relation.  It  was  an  original  picture  lodged 
in  the  mind  of  God,  of  a  great  and  glorious  fact 
thereafter  to  be  developed,  which  it  was  necessary  to 
unfold  to  man,  and  of  which  the  marriage  relation 
was  a  transcript.  God  could  doubtless  have  made 
other  arrangements  for  representing  to  us  this  spir- 
itual relation;  it  is  sufficient  for  us  to  know  that 
marriage  has  been  shaped  with  reference  to  this  end. 
Love  in  the  human  soul  is  the  image  of  love  in  God, 
and  the  love  of  husband  and  wife  is  the  image  of  that 
love  of  God  in  Christ  exercised  towards  his  people. 
This  is  not  an  uncertain  figment  of  the  fancy,  but 
truth  resting  on  the  deliberate  purpose  of  God  the 
Creator. 

The  apostle  brings  out  distinctly  several  points  on 
this  topic;  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  Church; — the 
Church  is  his  body; — he  is  the  Saviour  of  this  body, 
by  and  through  him  it  was  created  anew  from  its 
state  of  spiritual  death ; — this  salvation  or  new  crea- 
tion is  the  result  of  his  love,  and  is  a  strong  exhibi- 
tion of  that  love ; — it  required  him  to  leave  heaven 
and  suffer  great  sacrifices ; — it  prompts  him  to  foster 
and  cherish  the  Church  by  sanctification ; — this  is  in 
order  that  the  Church  may  be  without  spot  or  wrin- 
kle, perfectly  lovely; — the  Church,  as  a  consequence, 
is  subject  to  Christ.  He  states  these  truths  as  the 
foundation  of  the  following  duties :  As  Christ  is  the 
head  of  the  Church,  so  the  husband  is  the  head  of  the 
wife ; — as  the  Church  is  the  body  of  Christ,  so  the 
wife  is  really  one  with  the  husband,  as  truly  as  the 


INTRODUCTION.  47 

body  of  an  individual  is  one  with  the  person; — as  the 
Church  is  formed  from  Christ,  so  the  wife  was  formed 
from  the  body  of  the  husband; — as  this  forming  of 
the  Church  is  the  result  of  his  love,  or  for  the  express 
purpose  of  gratifying  that  love,  so  the  existence 
of  the  marriage  relation  calls  into  exercise  the  strong- 
est aifection  of  man; — as  it  required  Jesus  to  leave 
the  glory  of  the  Father  and  heaven,  so  must  a  man 
leave  father  and  mother  and  cleave  to  his  wife ; — as 
Christ  fosters  and  cherishes  the  Church,  so  should  a 
man  foster  and  cherish  his  wife,  even  as  his  own 
body; — as  this  was  done  in  order  that  the  Church 
might  be  made  more  lovely,  husbands  should  so 
cherish  their  wives  as  to  bear  with  infirmities; — as 
the  Church  is  subject  to  Christ,  so  must  the  wife  be 
subject  to  the  husband.  According  to  the  plain  pur- 
port of  this  passage,  this  union  is  the  appointed 
means  for  illustrating  to  us  what  is  the  nature  of  the 
relation  between  Christ  and  his  people ;  and  the  char- 
acter of  that  relation  cannot  be  understood  in  this 
world  without  studying  this  union.  Therefore,  in 
applying  to  Christ  and  his  Church  the  language  of 
the  Song,  we  are  only  using  in  words  prepared  for  us 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  the  illustrations  which  the  Creator 
established  on  this  subject  when  the  world  began. 

8.  Man  was  made  in  the  image  of  God — that  is,  his 
nature  or  soul  has  been  filled  up  with  endowments 
which  represent  certain  characteristics  of  the  invisible 
God.  These  faculties  are  a  living  portrait  of  divine 
attributes,  far  from  being  perfect,  yet  correct  as  far 
as  they  go,  and  sufficient  for  our  present  wants  until 


48  INTRODUCTION. 

we  are  brought  into  a  more  perfect  state  and  a  clear 
vision  of  the  divine  glory.  That  such  a  state  is 
before  us,  is  evident  from  the  promises  given  us  of 
seeing  God.  Matt.  v.  8 ;  1  Cor.  xii.  12.  When, 
therefore,  the  Scriptures  speak  of  God  as  hearing, 
seeing,  loving,  hating,  &c,  they  do  not  use  illustra- 
tions caught  up  at  random,  as  when  we  use  a  com- 
mon simile;  but  they  are  adopting  as  representations 
of  the  divine  attributes  things  which  were  established 
for  this  purpose  by  the  Creator.  The  furniture  of 
the  tabernacle,  and  the  Jewish  ritual  were  not  more 
definitely  appointed  by  God  as  representations  of 
divine  things,  than  was  the  fabric  of  the  human  soul. 
And  when  God  said,  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our 
image,"  he  meant,  "Let  us  now  form  a  creature 
who  shall  be  a  portrait,  shall  combine  a  likeness,  of 
certain  of  our  intellectual  and  moral  perfections." 
Of  those  thus  implanted  in  the  soul,  a  leading  one 
was  love.  "God  is  love."  This  affection  was  inlaid 
in  the  human  heart  for  representing  to  us  the  love  of 
God.  When  we  ask  of  our  Creator,  what  is  the 
character  of  his  love  to  the  saints,  he  replies,  that  in 
forming  us  in  his  image,  he  placed  in  the  soul  love  as 
the  image  of  his  love;  and  that  by  studying  the 
workings  of  this  affection  in  the  tenclerest  and  dear- 
est relations,  we  will  see  what  he  intended  to 
be  the  standing  representation  of  his  love  to  us. 
Love  to  God  is  the  gem ;  and  the  frame- work  of  the 
soul  with  its  curious  workmanship  and  cost]y  finish- 
ing, is  the  setting  wherein  this  brilliant  is  inlaid  for 
reflecting  the   splendour  of  the   divine   love.     This 


INTRODUCTION.  49 

living  temple  of  the  human  soul,  which  once  stood  in 
perfection,  has  been  laid  in  ruins  by  sin;  and  the 
sculpture  bearing  the  image  of  the  divine  attributes 
has  been  lying,  like  the  alabaster  slabs  and  statues 
of  Nineveh,  dilapidated,  defaced,  and  hidden  from 
view.  Some  of  the  truths  originally  written  on  the 
chambers  of  the  soul,  but  so  sadly  lost,  have  been 
brought  to  light  again  and  written  in  the  pages  of 
Scripture — thence  to  be  transferred  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  the  fleshly  tablet  of  the  heart.  The  love  of 
God,  engraved  so  gloriously  on  the  soul  at  creation, 
but  now  so  completely  lost,  has  been  rescued  from 
ruins,  and  is  set  before  us  in  this  alabaster  tablet  of 
the  Song,  by  the  same  original  image,  the  love  of  the 
human  heart — dim  and  broken  indeed,  yet  the  best 
means  possible  for  illustrating  the  love  of  God  to  us, 
in  our  present  state.  By  going  down  into  the  ruins  of 
the  soul,  and  exhuming  the  table  on  which  is  wrought 
in  bold  relief  the  affection  of  husband  and  wife,  we 
shall  find — though  in  lines  broken  and  decayed — 
what  our  Creator  has  appointed  as  the  image  to  us  of 
the  love  of  God. 

9.  Hence,  the  principle  of  allegorical  instruction  is 
found  to  be  wrought  into  the  very  nature  of  man. 
The  human  soul  is  itself  a  living  allegory:  the  truths 
it  embodies  and  represents  are  truths  relating  to  the 
character  of  God.*     We  are  living  emblems  of  the 

*  "The  system  of  the  world  may  be  called  an  allegorical 
fiction  in  which  there  is  an  outward  bodily  appearance  wherein 
a  meaning  lies  concealed,  as  the  soul  within  the  body." — Sal- 
lust  on  the  gods. 

5* 


50  INTRODUCTION. 

divine  perfections.  We  were  formed  for  being  illus- 
trations of  the  attributes  of  our  invisible,  spiritual 
Creator.  Accordingly,  when  genius  would  make 
abstract  truths  tangible,  intelligible,  and  attractive, 
resort  is  at  once  had  to  emblems,  comparisons,  and 
allegories.  These  constitute,  to  a  great  extent,  the 
embellishments  of  poetry.  Some  of  the  greatest 
works  of  genius  are  pure  allegories.  This  principle 
pervades  the  whole  Pagan  Mythology  of  all  countries 
and  all  ages.  Even  facts  have  there  received  an  alle- 
gorical shape  for  embalming  them  in  the  memory  and 
making  them  interesting  to  the  curiosity  of  future 
ages.  "The  ancients,"  says  Bryant,  "loved  to  wrap 
up  every  thing  in  mystery  and  fable."*  Whichever 
of  the  two  leading  theories  concerning  the  origin  of 
Pagan  idolatry  be  adopted,  the  principle  here  stated 
will  appear  true.  The  beautiful  fable  of  Cupid  and 
Psychef  has  the  same  aim  with  the  Song  of  Solo- 
mon— the  illustration  of  divine  love  towards  the 
human  soul.  The  interval  between  the  two  allegories 
is  indeed  as  great  as  the  difference  between  a  state  of 
nature  and  a  state  of  grace — reason  unaided  and  reve- 
lation— the  glimmerings  of  fancy  and  the  effulgence 
of  the  Holy  Ghost; — they  both  however  point  to  the 
one  end — the  human  soul  as  the  object  of  heavenly 
love.  The  pleasure  and  profit  had  from  poetical  per- 
sonification is  allied  with  this,  and  has  its  foundation 

*  Analysis  of  Ancient  Mythology,  vol.  ii.  98 ;  Faber's  Ilorae 
Mosaicte,  ii.  231. 

t  Apuleii  Metamorph.  lib.  iv.  See  also  the  remarks  in 
Maurice's  Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  v.  C55. 


INTRODUCTION.  51 

in  the  nature  of  man.  Many  of  the  brightest  gems 
of  poetry  are  abstract  truths  and  things  personified ; 
and  when  thus  personified,  are  seen  to  assume  a  garb 
kindred  to  that  of  allegory. 

Since  these  principles  are  thus  woven  by  nature 
into  our  being,  God  acts  according  to  those  laws  in 
revealing  to  us  his  love  through  an  allegorical  guise. 
The  love  of  God  to  us  and  our  love  to  him,  lie  at  the 
foundation  of  our  eternal  happiness.  Whatever  other 
knowledge  may  be  possessed,  we  can  never  be  happy 
without  a  practical  acquaintance  with  these.  There 
is,  therefore,  need  that  they  be  unfolded  to  us  in  the 
plainest  manner,  and  according  to  the  laws  of  our 
being.  Those  laws  require  this  to  be  done  by  alle- 
gory, such  as  is  found  in  the  Song. 

10.  As  Leighton  says,*  "  The  experimental  know- 
ledge of  Christ's  loveliness  and  the  believer's  love,  is 
the  best  commentary  on  the  whole  strain  of  this  alle- 
gorical Song."  The  laying  up  in  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures, of  truths  and  books  that  can  be  comprehended 
only  by  developments  made  in  the  after-course  of  the 
Christian  life,  was  intended  to  be  one  of  the  classes 
of  cumulative  proofs  of  the  divine  origin  of  our  faith. 
Different  minds  require  different  kinds  of  proof;  and 
the  same  mind,  passing  through  various  states,  as 
from  unbelief  to  mature  holiness,  may  be  more  affect- 
ed at  various  stages  by  evidence  which,  though  less 
satisfactory  at  a  former  period,  becomes  more  power- 
ful than  any  of  the  preceding,  when  the  heart  has 

*  Sermon  on  Cant.  i.  3. 


52  INTRODUCTION. 

been  attempered  to  its  nature.  The  external  evidence 
is  more  adapted  to  the  unrenewed  mind;  the  internal, 
requiring  a  spiritual  discernment,  is  more  convincing 
to  the  pious  heart.  There  are  miracles  for  the  irre- 
ligious; prophecies  for  ages  as  they  pass,  and  pro- 
phecies for  the  most  remote  ages ;  truths  revealed  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  for  different  stages  of  growth  in 
grace ;  and  there  is  this  book  for  the  later  periods  of 
the  Christian  life.  And  when  we  find  its  passages 
opening  their  meaning  in  the  light  of  our  religious 
experience,  just  as  prophecies  are  seen  fulfilling  in 
the  operation  of  events  in  the  world,  we  have  another 
class  of  proofs  for  the  divinity  of  our  faith  and  of  the 
Scriptures.  Fairbairn*  lays  clown  the  principle,  "  that 
the  existence  and  meaning  of  particular  types  is  to  be 
ascertained,  not  from  the  light  possessed  by  ancient 
worshippers  concerning  their  prospective  fulfilment, 
but  from  the  light  thrown  on  them  by  the  great 
truths  and  realities  of  the  gospel."  According  to 
this,  the  design  and  meaning  of  such  passages  of 
Scripture  as  this  Song,  is  to  be  fully  ascertained,  not 
by  the  impenitent,  nor  by  renewed  persons  who  have 
not  reached  the  advancement  in  piety  for  which  they 
■were  intended ;  but  by  those  who  have  attained  that 
stage  of  spiritual  light  and  growth  in  grace  for  which 
they  were  specially  designed.  The  Redeemer  has 
made  provision  for  continually,  as  it  were,  feeding 
our  confidence  in  the  divine  origin  of  these  words  of 
promise   by  which   our  spirits    live.      Fresh   proofs, 

*  Typology,  vol.  i.,  p.  105. 


INTRODUCTION.  53 

rich,  convincing,  and  varied,  are  found  along  the 
whole  of  our  way  to  heaven.  Without  forgetting 
those  which  are  behind,  or  ceasing  to  feel  their  force, 
we  find  our  persuasion  on  this  point  unceasingly 
gathering  strength  from  new  evidence  coming  into 
view  by  our  advance,  and  by  the  brightening  dawn. 
Particular  doctrines,  which  were  foolishness  to  us  in 
our  unrenewed  condition,  and  stumbling-blocks  on  our 
first  coming  to  Christ,  do,  as  the  day  breaks  over  our 
soul,  not  only  lose  their  repulsiveness,  but,  like  the 
headlands  rising  afar  in  the  ocean,  from  which  the 
shades  of  night  and  mists  of  morning  are  rolling 
away,  tower  towards  heaven  with  the  beauty  of  Car- 
mel,  and  the  majesty  of  mountains  forming  the  foun- 
dation of  the  city  of  the  living  God.  The  same  prin- 
ciple is  true  concerning  books  of  Scripture,  no  less 
than  of  the  truths  contained  in  those  books. 

The  cure  for  unbelief  is  not  argument,  but  the  ac- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit.  To  the  same  source  must 
we  look  for  the  removal  of  unbelieving  prejudices,  the 
remnants  of  native  corruption,  that  linger  in  the 
breast  of  the  Christian,  against  certain  truths  and 
portions  of  the  Scriptures.  Every  objection  to  this 
book  has  been  often  answered ;  but  after  conviction 
has  been  carried  to  the  understanding,  the  old  repug- 
nance will  remain,  till  grace  has  suitably  illumined 
the  heart.  In  the  eyes  of  many  who  are  Israelites 
indeed,  in  whom  is  no  guile,  this  Song  is  in  as  bad 
repute  as  was  Nazareth  of  old ;  and  when  they  say, 
Can  any  good  thing  come  out  of  this  book?  with  the 
feelings  of  Philip,  we  reply,  Come  and  see.     Here  we 


54  INTRODUCTION. 

have  found  Him  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law  and  the 
prophets  did  write;  and  as  that  ancient  saint  saw  in 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  more  than  the  son  of  Joseph,  even 
the  Messiah — so  does  divine  illumination  cause  us  to 
see  in  this  portrait  of  the  Beloved,  a  greater  than 
Solomon,  even  him  in  whom  dwells  all  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead  bodily. 

When,  therefore,  we  are  asked  what  proof  we  have 
that  this  Song  is  to  be  interpreted  allegorically,  our 
answer  is,  that  among  other  proofs  we  have  this,  viz : 
There  are  periods  in  the  Christian  life  when  the  soul 
enlightened  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  sees  a  deep,  instinc- 
tive, and  glorious  meaning  in  the  Song;  when  the 
truth  thus  found  here,  proves  to  be  the  very  manna 
of  the  heart,  the  quintessence  of  spiritual  nourish- 
ment, with  less  of  the  tang  of  earth  and  more  of  the 
flavour  of  heaven;  and  the  meaning  thus  got,  and 
thus  delightful,  is  an  allegorical  meaning.  The  per- 
sons who  see  nothing  but  beauty,  instructiveness,  and 
consolation  in  this  book — a  class  who  have  pressed 
into  the  foreground  of  holy  attainments  on  earth,  and 
contemplate  it  from  that  point  of  view — are  of  one 
mind,  in  giving  it  an  allegorical  interpretation.  They 
testify,  that  thus  understood,  the  Song  has  heavenly 
attractions,  but  that  explained  in  any  other  way,  it 
has  nothing  spiritually  beautiful  or  desirable.  In  the 
treatment  of  persons  under  disease,  there  are  different 
medicines,  stimulants,  and  food  required  for  the  vari- 
ous steps  of  their  recovery ;  and  it  would  be  prepos- 
terous for  any  invalid  to  assert  that  because  a  par- 
ticular thing  might  not  be  adapted  to  his  infirmity  or 


INTRODUCTION.  55 

stnge  of  disease,  it  could  not  be  useful  to  any  other 
person,  or  even  to  himself  at  some  future  time.  He 
must  be  no  less  than  a  madman,  who  could  go  over 
the  chest  that  had  been  filled  with  restoratives  by  an 
able  physician,  and  break  every  bottle  which  might 
not  suit  his  own  fancy.  The  sick  man  is  not  capable 
of  judging  for  himself,  much  less  for  others.  The 
Bible  is  a  depository  of  medicinal  truths  for  our 
enfeebled  souls  and  suffering  race,  in  all  ages,  and 
during  the  whole  course  of  our  life.  There  is  virtue 
in  every  book,  and  in  every  verse.  They  have  been 
filled  by  the  hand  of  the  heavenly  Physician,  for 
meeting  our  spiritual  wants  in  every  possible  variety 
of  circumstances.  Let  us  beware  how  we  call  in  ques- 
tion his  wisdom — how  we  throw  away  books  filled 
with  rich  infusion  of  spiritual  doctrines  for  the  mala- 
dies of  man.  A  healthy  person  could  judge  whether 
the  medicine  or  the  chest  had  evidence  of  having 
come  from  the  physician  said  to  have  prepared  it ;  the 
invalid  alone  could  find  in  the  medicine  the  virtue 
bespeaking  its  healing  power  and  fitness  for  his  case. 
And  while  any  Christian,  or  even  an  irreligious  man, 
may  judge  of  the  external  evidence  for  this  book,  the 
advanced  believer  only  can  pronounce  properly  on 
the  divine  virtue  herein  contained.  When  the  recov- 
ering patient  finds  any  medicine  benefiting  him  by  its 
use  at  any  particular  stage  of  his  restoration,  he  has 
the  best  proof  that  it  was  intended  for  his  cure,  and 
was  placed  there  by  wisdom.  His  sober  experience 
is  worth  all  the  conjectural  theories  of  speculative 
philosophers. 


56  INTRODUCTION. 

For  the  foregoing  reasons,  the  Song  must  have  an 
allegorical  interpretation.  Hence  we  must  not  expect 
to  find  here  any  statement  of  doctrine  in  a  didactic 
form.  We  must  here  search  for  truth,  not  in  the 
form  in  which  it  appears  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Ro- 
mans, but  in  the  guise  it  assumes  in  the  figures  of 
the  Jewish  ritual.  Beautiful  and  instructive  though 
the  services  of  the  law  are  to  ourselves,  how  dim  was 
the  apprehension  Israel  had  of  their  significance ; 
and  how  great  is  the  flood  of  light  poured  on  them 
from  the  knowledge  imparted  by  God  manifest  in 
flesh.  As  mere  poetry,  this  book  has  transcendent 
beauty ;  but  when  viewed  in  the  light  of  knowledge 
of  the  glorious  love  of  God,  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  assumes  a  splendour  and  in- 
structiveness  unimagined  and  unsurpassed. 

In  the  interpretation  of  this  Song,  there  are  there- 
fore two  separate  lines  of  investigation,  bearing  upon 
each  other  and  converging,  though  perfectly  distinct. 
There  is  the  study  of  the  language,  and  the  study  of 
the  allegorical  meaning.  After  knowing  all  that  can 
be  known  of  the  literal  import,  and  the  customs  here 
referred  to,  there  remains  the  more  important  task  of 
determining  what  are  the  spiritual  truths  intended  to 
be  conveyed  to  us  in  this  figurative  language.  The 
meaning  wrapped  up  in  the  folds  of  the  allegory  is 
the  main  object  of  search.*     Speaking  of  the  time 

*  The  instruction  conveyed  by  the  allegory  or  parable, 
demands  the  expositor's  chief  attention;  and  the  circum- 
stances, just  so  far  as  they  lead  to  the  right  interpretation, 
and  no  further." — Scott  on  Cant,  i.  2. 


INTRODUCTION.  57 

and  learning  thrown  away  on  the  inquiry,  whether 
*the  bride  was  a  daughter  of  the  king  of  Egypt  or 
a  native  of  Palestine,  Kitto*  says,  "We  formerly 
thought  this  question  one  of  much  interest;  but 
latterly  this  and  other  external  points  connected 
with  it,  have  appeared  to  us  in  greatly  reduced 
importance,  in  our  search  after  the  inner  meaning, 
which  under  this  aspect  the  book  presents  the  nu- 
tritive kernel  which  this  outer  husk  contains,  and  to 
which  it  is  adapted."  Hence  the  commentators  who 
have  gone  no  farther  than  an  elucidation  of  the 
literal  meaning,  even  by  all  the  learning  that  may 
be  here  brought  to  bear,  cannot  be  considered  as 
having  expounded  this  scripture.  The  meaning  of 
the  allegory  yet  remains  untouched;  and  to  the 
scholar  who  has  gone  thus  far,  this  meaning  may  be 
as  perfectly  unknown  as  is  the  narrative  of  the  facts 
there  contained,  to  him  who  does  not  understand  the 
language.  Biblical  learning  furnishes  the  key  to  a 
knowledge  of  the  book  as  a  poem ;  there  is  another 
element  necessary  for  giving  us  a  clew  to  the  spiritual 
meaning  embodied  in  this  mystical  poetry.  In  the 
words  of  the  eminent  scholar  just  mentioned,  "It 
is  only  those  who  are  greatly  experienced  in  the 
mysteries  of  man's  inner  life,  and  whose  souls  have 
been  tried  by  passing  through  many  fires,  that  can 
truly  feel  all  that  this  book  means,  and,  feeling,  are 
enabled  to  understand  it."f     The  mere  literal  mean- 

*  Daily  Bible  Illustrations,  on  the  Song,  p.  382. 
f  Kitto's  Daily  Bible  Readings,  on  the  Song,  p.  390. 
6 


58  INTRODUCTION. 

ing  of  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  was  intelligible  to  the 
Ethiopian  eunuch;  and  yet  he  said,  How  can  I  under-  * 
stand,  except  some  man  should  guide  me?  Of  whom 
speaketh  the  prophet  thus?  of  himself,  or  of  some 
other  man  ?  Acts  viii.  31.  In  this  Song  particularly, 
a  knowledge  of  the  letter  gives  nothing  like  the 
meaning  of  the  book,  without  a  knowledge  of  the 
spirit.  The  words  of  Jesus  are  equally  applicable 
here — "It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth,  the  flesh 
profiteth  nothing:  the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you, 
they  are  spirit,  and  they  are  life."  John  vi.  63.  This 
is  the  key  to  the  whole  interpretation  of  the  Song. 
The  meek  will  he  teach  his  way,  and  he  will  show 
them  his  covenant.  The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with 
them  that  fear  him;  and  as  without  a  parable  spake 
our  Lord  not  unto  the  multitudes,  but  when  they 
were  alone  he  expounded  all  things  to  his  disciples, 
Mark  iv.  34;  so  must  we  still,  with  meekness  and 
godly  fear,  seek  to  be  alone  with  him  in  prayer,  that 
we  may  ask  of  him  the  meaning  of  the  parables 
contained  in  the  written  word,  and  receive  the  Holy 
Ghost  for  teaching  us  all  things,  and  guiding  us  into 
all  truth.  A  fundamental  inquiry  in  the  Song  is,  Of 
whom  speaketh  Solomon  this?  of  himself,  or  of  some 
other  person?  And  never  can  we  understand  what 
we  here  read,  until  after  diligent  study  and  humble 
meditation,  we  have  the  Holy  Spirit  to  begin  at  the 
same  scripture  and  preach  unto  us  Jesus.  He  must 
open  our  eyes  before  we  can  behold  the  wondrous 
things  contained  in  this  portion  of  God's  law.  What- 
ever our  knowledge  of  the  word  of  God,  certain  it  is 


INTRODUCTION.  59 

that  our  hearts  will  never  burn  within  us,  till  Jesus 
himself  open  to  us  the  Scriptures.  None  other  can 
expound  to  us  in  all  this  Song  the  things  concerning 
himself. 

The  necessity  of  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
interpreting  divine  truth,  is  taught  by  Peter,  who 
says,  we  must  receive  it  as  a  first  principle,  "that  no 
prophecy  of  the  Scripture  is  of  any  private  interpreta- 
tion."* Showing  in  this  passage  he  had  not  followed 
cunningly  devised  fables,  in  making  known  the  power 
and  coming  of  our  Lord;  he  points  out  two  distinct 
grounds  of  confirmation  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel. 
The  first  is  external,  and  depends  on  the  testimony 
of  the  witnesses  who  were  with  him  in  the  holy  mount 
of  transfiguration,  and  were  there  eye-witnesses  of 
the  magnificent  glory,  and  heard  the  voice  of  the 
Father  from  heaven  in  attestation  of  the  divinity  of 
the  Son.  The  second  is  internal — the  persuasion 
which  every  true  believer  has  of  the  divine  origin  of 
the  Scriptures,  from  what  he  s§es  and  feels  of  the 
power  of  these  truths,  under  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  This  demonstration,  this  inward  wit- 
ness of  the  Spirit,  is  a  safer  reliance  than  a  voice 
from  heaven;  is  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy,  of 
divine  instruction  regarding  the  truth  of  our  faith, 
an  interpretation  or  expression  of  the  divine  will  on 
which  we  may  more  certainly  rely.  Without  at 
all  undervaluing  the  external  evidence,  the  miracles 
wrought  in  confirmation  of  Christianity,  the  believer 

*  2  Peter  i.  20. 


60  INTRODUCTION. 

finds,  as  he  grows  in  grace,  that  his  conviction  of  the 
inexpressible  excellence  of  his  faith,  is  felt  more  and 
more  distinctly  to  rest,  not  on  the  testimony  adduced 
from  men,  so  much  as  on  the  words  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  speaketh,  through  the  Scriptures,  to  his  sancti- 
fied heart.  Divine  truth  kindled  to  a  flame  by  the 
Spirit  is  within  his  soul  as  a  light  shining  in  a  dismal 
place.  To  this  word,  a  lamp  unto  his  feet  and  a 
light  unto  his  path,  he  does  well  to  take  heed,  until 
the  shadows  of  error  and  sin  flee  away,  until  the  day 
dawn  and  the  day-star  arise  in  our  hearts.  But  in 
receiving  the  advantage  and  pleasure  had  from  the 
Scriptures,  thus  spiritually  discerned,  we  must  start 
with  this  essential  truth,  must  know  this  first,  that  no 
prophecy  of  the  Scripture,  no  portion  of  divine  in- 
struction there  revealed,  is  of  any  private  interpreta- 
tion;* that  is,  of  an  interpretation  that  may  be 
reached  by  the  exercise  of  any  powers  peculiar  to  the 
unaided  human  mind  by  nature;  for  as  prophecy,  or 
the  teachings  contained  in  the  Scriptures,  were  not 
discovered  and  uttered  by  the  unassisted  intellect  of 
man,  but  were  spoken  by  men  borne  along  by  the 

*  icf/o?,  quod  animo  acquisivimus  el  possidemus:  That  of 
which  one  is  himself  the  owner,  possessor,  and  producer.  Our 
exposition  of  this  passage  agrees  with  that  of  the  Romanists, 
in  holding  this  word  to  mean,  that  Scripture  cannot  be  inter- 
preted by  man  without  aid  of  some  kind.  According  to  the 
fundamental  error  of  their  system,  in  putting  the  Church  in  the 
place  of  Christ,  they  hold  that  this  needed  assistance  must  be 
got  from  the  Church,  we  say  that  it  can  be  furnished  only  by 
the  Holy  Spirit. 


INTRODUCTION.  61 

Holy  Ghost,  those  truths  cannot  be  understood  and 
interpreted  by  us,  without  the  enlightening  influences 
of  the  same  Spirit. 

The  parable  of  the  sower  derives  its  great  interest 
from  its  instructiveness  through  the  exposition  of  our 
Lord.  This  application  of  those  simple  facts  to  the 
illustration  of  spiritual  things,  invests  them  with 
great  beauty.  Touching  as  is  the  parable  of  the 
prodigal  son,  how  greatly  is  the  attractiveness  of  the 
narrative  heightened,  when  viewed  as  illustrating  the 
joy  there  is  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth. 
The  types,  parables,  and  allegories  of  Scripture,  rich 
in  literary  materials,  are  like  the  curiously  wrought 
lanterns  of  oriental  countries,  which  do  not  reveal 
their  beauty  of  transparency  and  emblems  till  lighted 
up  within: — these  portions  of  truth,  though  a  light 
unto  our  feet  and  a  lantern  unto  our  path,  reveal 
their  excellence,  splendour,  and  power  to  guide,  only 
when,  through  their  divine  emblems,  streams  on  us  the 
inner  light  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  Lamb.  An 
exposition  of  the  sower  or  of  the  prodigal  son,  that 
might  go  no  farther  than  an  elucidation  of  the  literal 
meaning,  without  searching  for  the  golden  vein  of 
spiritual  instruction  there  concealed,  might  be  of  use 
as  materials  ready  to  the  hand  of  some  other  person, 
but  would  fail  to  give  an  idea  of  the  mind  of  the 
Spirit.  In  all  our  duties,  human  agency  must  be 
blended  with  divine  co-operation.  In  raising  the 
fruits  of  the  earth,  there  is  a  duty  for  the  husband- 
man, and  there  is  an  influence  that  can  be  supplied 
only  by  the  Creator;  in  spiritual  things  Paul  may 
6* 


62  INTRODUCTION. 

plant  and  Apollos  water,  but  God  gives  the  increase; 
and  in  interpreting  the  Scriptures,  in  this  Song  more 
especially  than  any  other  part  of  them,  there  is  a 
work  to  be  done  by  the  mind,  in  gathering  all  that 
can  be  furnished  from  the  stores  of  biblical  learning, 
and  besides  this,  there  must  be  the  aid  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  for  rendering  our  efforts  perfect  and  successful. 
Here,  learning  can  go  no  farther  than  the  threshold; 
the  key  by  which  the  mysteries  within  are  reached, 
must  be  furnished  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  To  this  sub- 
ject, apply  the  words  of  one  of  the  poems  of  Greg- 
ory Nazianzen,  when  speaking  of  the  difference 
between  rhetorical  display  and  true  spiritual  inter- 
pretation of  the  Scriptures: 

"All  our  discourse  is  two-fold, 
Words  and  meaning.     Those  are  like  the  outward 
Raiment ;  this,  like  the  body  within  that  is  clothed. 
But  we  take  not  much  account  of  the  external 
How  it  fares,  but  very  much  of  the  inward. 
For  our  salvation  resides  in  the  meaning, 
So  as  it  be  declared,  and  made  manifest." 

Like  the  tabernacle,  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  the 
spectator,  with  its  sides  overlaid  with  gold,  the  Song, 
unsurpassed  in  poetic  excellence,  may  fix  the  admira- 
tion of  even  an  unrenewed  mind ;  but  when  the  soul 
is  admitted  into  the  recesses  of  its  interior  meaning, 
and  the  hand  of  the  Holy  Spirit  lifts  the  mysterious 
veil,  we  gaze  with  the  trepidation  of  holy  affection  on 
something  more  entrancing  than  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant, the  cherubim,  and  the  human  form  seen  amid 
the  cloud  of  glory.     Fanaticism  and  ignorance  may 


INTRODUCTION.  63 

undervalue  the  indispensable  and  fundamental  assist- 
ance supplied  by  learning,  but  the  mind  best  in- 
structed by  the  Holy  Spirit  will  be  best  able  to  use 
these  aids  aright,  without  unduly  exalting  them  or 
treating  them  with  neglect. 

The  error  into  which  many  pious  commentators 
have  fallen,  seems  to  have  sprung  mainly  from  the 
attempt  to  make  too  much  out  of  the  allegory.  In 
expounding  the  types,  some  of  the  most  learned  and 
pious  among  the  old  divines  are  greatly  at  fault  by 
the  extreme  to  which  they  have  pushed  their  princi- 
ple of  interpretation.  They  appear  almost  to  think, 
that  every  thing  must  be  a  type,  in  which  there  can 
be  found  even  a  remote  comparison ;  and  in  those 
things  which  are  unmistakenly  types,  seek  for  numer- 
ous resemblances  evidently  not  intended  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  As  might  be  expected,  this  principle  has 
been  carried  beyond  all  reasonable  bounds  in  their 
efforts  to  expound  this  Song.  A  controlling  impres- 
sion with  them  seems  to  be,  that  every  thing  must  be 
drawn  from  this  figurative  language,  that  can  be 
devised  by  a  lively  fancy  in  alliance  with  a  spiritual 
heart.  The  duty  of  an  interpreter  of  Scripture  is  to 
search  for  the  mind  of  the  Spirit.  The  facts  and  per- 
sonages, the  services  and  figures  of  the  word  of  God, 
may  receive  applications  well  nigh  innumerable  by 
way  of  accommodation  and  illustration ;  but  these 
uses  of  sacred  truth,  however  pleasing  and  instructive, 
should  not  be  the  leading  aim  of  a  commentator. 
Much  of  what  is  intended  for  exposition  of  the  types, 
viewed  as  such  an  exposition,  is  perfectly  worthless; 


64  INTRODUCTION. 

but  viewed  as  an  ingenious  improvement  of  Scripture, 
is  edifying  and  attractive.  The  use  of  a  fact,  or  allu- 
sion, as  a  mere  literary  embellishment  or  illustration, 
may  be  allowable  and  profitable,  when  the  same  fact 
put  forth,  in  the  same  way,  authoritatively  as  a  type, 
would  be  a  perversion  of  Scripture.  And  when  the 
analogies  of  the  real  types  are  carried  too  far,  we  are 
perverting  the  Scriptures.  In  every  parable  and  alle- 
gory there  is  some  leading  principle  running  through 
the  illustration,  and  for  this  principle  we  must  search, 
without  expecting  to  find  similitudes  in  the  minor  in- 
cidents introduced  as  necessary  appendages  to  the 
narrative.  There  can  be  no  better  models  for  us  to 
follow  in  interpreting  allegorical  scriptures,  than  the 
exposition  given  by  our  Saviour  of  the  parables  of  the 
sower  and  of  the  tares  of  the  field. 

Perhaps  nothing  has  done  more  to  bring  this  book 
into  disrepute  than  the  well-meant  but  ill-judged 
efforts  of  pious  men  to  draw  some  hidden  meaning 
from  almost  every  word.  They  could  hardly  have 
been  more  minute  in  dissecting  and  weighing  the 
didactic  portions  of  the  Epistles.  Their  expositions 
are  often  so  overloaded  with  ingenious  appropriations 
of  these  figures,  as  to  crowd  out  of  sight  the  one  lead- 
ing truth  designed  to  be  taught  by  the  Spirit.  Even 
with  the  best  trained  imagination  this  principle  must 
draw  the  expositor  into  offences  against  good  taste. 
Every  word  of  God  is  pure, — 

"A  critic  on  the  sacred  book  should  be 
Candid  and  learn' d,  dispassionate  and  free: 
Whatever  shocks,  or  gives  the  lcastt  offence 


INTRODUCTION.  65 

To  virtue,  delicacy,  truth,  or  sense — 

Try  the  criterion — 'tis  a  faithful  guide, 

Nor  has,  nor  can  have  Scripture  on  its  side."* 

The  words  of  the  Lord  are  pure  words,  as  silver  tried 
in  a  furnace  of  earth,  purified  seven  times.  Nothing 
can  therefore  be  clearer  than  the  truth,  that  any  in- 
terpretation of  this  inspired  allegory,  which  is  in  the 
least  contrary  to  delicacy  and  correctness  of  taste, 
cannot  be  the  expression  of  its  meaning.  The  inspi- 
ration of  this  book  is  established  beyond  all  cavil;  as 
the  word  of  God  it  must  therefore  be  very  pure.  The 
word  of  God  must  be  consistent  with  its  author,  and 
consistent  with  itself.  In  consequence  of  the  peculiar 
manner  in  which  truth  is  taught  by  allegory,  any  in- 
terpretation of  this  book  must  be  wrong,  which  does 
not  harmonize  with  the  rest  of  the  Scriptures.  Here, 
we  must  keep  in  mind  the  direction,  "  Prophecy  ac- 
cording to  the  proportion  of  faith,"  understanding  it, 
as  we  do,  to  mean,  Interpret  the  language  of  revela- 
tion, the  will  of  God,  according  to  the  standard  of 
things  believed  as  gathered  from  the  general  tenor  of 
revelation.  By  adhering  to  this  principle,  exercising 
good  taste,  and  not  trying  to  draw  too  much  from  the 
figures,  while  seeking  humbly  the  guidance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  we  shall  find  every  anticipated  indelicacy 
to  vanish. 

The  words  of  chap.  i.  ver.  13,  may  be  taken  as  an 
example.  Unto  those  who  believe,  Jesus  is  precious, 
his  presence  is  delightful.     We  are  asked  the  ques- 

*  Cowpcr's  Progress  of  Error. 


66  INTRODUCTION. 

tion,  How  precious,  how  agreeable  is  the  society  of 
our  Lord?     What  are  the  sensations  of  pleasure  like, 
that  we  have  in  his  presence?     "We  reply,  What  are 
the  sensations  of  delight  you  experience  from  a  clus- 
ter of  camphire  blooms,  or  from  the  fragrance  of  a 
bundle  of  myrrh,  so  rich  that  you  love  to  have  it 
dwelling  in  your  bosom  ?  Now  the  delights  shed  abroad 
in  our  soul  by  the  presence  of  Jesus  are  more  plea- 
sant than  the  exquisite  delights  thus  received  through 
the  bodily  senses.     Such  is  the  language  necessary 
from  our  present  position  in  the  flesh,  that  we  must 
use  such  comparisons,  or  say  nothing  concerning  the 
loveliness  of  the  presence  of  Jesus.     We  imagine  that 
the  passages  describing  the  pleasure  had  by  our  Lord 
in  contemplating  the  redeemed  soul,  chap.  iv.  1 — 5; 
vi.    4 — 7 ;    vii.    1 — 5 ;    and   the   illustration   of  the 
beauty  and   loveliness  of   Christ,  chap.   v.   10 — 16, 
were  not  intended  to  be  dissected  so  minutely  as  they 
have  been  by  come  commentators.     Like  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  New  Jerusalem,  these  are  representations 
of  spiritual  things  by  clusters  of  the  richest  emblems. 
The  elegance  and  force  of  such  a  passage  is  lost  by 
taking  it   to  pieces,  and    turning   the  fragments    in 
every  imaginable  direction,  for  finding  in  them  vari- 
ous shades  and  veins  of  allegory.     It  is  as  unreason- 
able as  tearing  a  rose  to  pieces,  and  examining  it  leaf 
by  leaf  for  getting  at  its  beauty ;  or  as  breaking  por- 
tions from  a  piece  of  statuary,  instead  of  surveying  it 
as  constituting  a  finished  whole.     The  use  to  which 
the  emblems  in  such  a  description  may  be  applied  for 
illustrating  truth  by  way  of  accommodation,  is  one 


INTRODUCTION.  07 

tiling;  the  leading  intention  had  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  inditing  the  passage,  is  another.  The  latter  is 
■what  we  must  seek  for  in  the  interpretation  of  the 
book.  The  appearance  of  our  Lord  to  John  at  Pat- 
nios,  was  for  representing  emblematically  the  offices 
now  sustained  by  him,  as  ascended,  in  behalf  of  his 
persecuted  people.  Hence,  the  garment  down  to  the 
foot,  and  the  girdle  about  the  breast,  show  him  to  be 
still  a  merciful  and  gracious  High  Priest;  his  head 
and  hair,  white  like  wool,  bespeak  the  eternity  of 
the  Son  of  God,  manifest  in  the  human  form  of  Jesus 
of  Nazareth;  his  eyes  as  a  flame  of  fire,  denote  his 
omniscience.  The  exhibition  of  him  given  in  the 
Song,  chap.  v.  10 — 16,  is  confined  to  the  single  idea 
of  illustrating  his  loveliness.  When  a  beautiful  object 
is  contemplated,  the  sight  raises  within  the  mind  a 
train  of  pleasing  sensations.  The  more  these  sensa- 
tions are  multiplied,  the  more  intense  must  be  our 
pleasure.  The  sight  of  the  Lord  Jesus  as  contem- 
plated by  faith,  calls  up  within  the  soul  clusters  of 
ideas  of  the  greatest  beauty,  and  sensations  of  the 
greatest  pleasure.  No  one  thing  will  illustrate  his 
loveliness;  and  therefore  many  objects  of  beauty  are 
brought  together  for  showing,  by  their  diversity,  the 
variety  of  shades  of  beauty  there  is  in  Christ.  The 
white  and  ruddy  colour;  the  most  fine  gold  and  raven 
locks;  the  eyes  of  doves  by  rivers  of  water;  the  bed 
of  spices  and  sweet  flowers;  the  gold  rings  set  with 
beryl;  the  white  ivory  overlaid  with  sapphires;  the 
pillars  of  marble  set  on  sockets  of  fine  gold;  the  ma- 
jesty of  Lebanon  with  the  excellency  of  its  cedars; — 


68  INTRODUCTION. 

each  one  of  these  objects  separately  pours  into  the 
mind  a  rich  stream  of  beautiful  ideas;  each  reference 
or  emblem  forms  by  itself  a  pleasing  study;  all  these 
objects  combined  and  viewed  at  once,  if  this  were 
possible,  would  flood  and  overpower  the  heart  with 
beauty.  Now,  when  the  inquiry  is  made,  What  is  the 
beauty  of  Christ,  of  which  so  much  is  heard  ?  the 
Holy  Spirit  says,  View  these  different  objects,  each 
of  which  is  so  beautiful;  gather  into  your  mind  all 
the  ideas  of  splendour  they  shadow  forth ;  contem- 
plate them  collectively;  and  then,  with  your  mind 
thus  dazzled  and  drunk  with  beauty,  think  that  the 
single  view  of  Christ  alone  raises  in  the  soul  an  over- 
flowing flood  of  beautiful  ideas,  visions,  and  concep- 
tions, so  deep,  so  rich,  so  captivating,  that  all  these 
things,  with  all  their  resplendent  beauty,  can  only 
serve  unitedly,  as  one  great  and  glorious,  but  com- 
paratively dim,  emblem  for  representing  the  beauty 
of  Jesus.  The  essential  thing  the  mind  must  search 
for  in  this  allegorical  description,  is  the  loveliness  of 
our  Lord. 

The  blessed  Saviour  thinks  of  us  far  more  con- 
stantly, and  far  more  fervently,  than  we,  even  in 
hours  of  deepest  emotion,  think  of  him ;  he  contem- 
plates us  with  far  more  steadiness  and  intense  interest 
than  we  can  contemplate  him.  How  could  he  illus- 
trate to  us  the  beauty  he  sees  in  the  saints,-  the  work 
of  his  hands,  as  well  as  the  purchase  of  his  blood? 
How  tell  the  pleasure  he  has  in  dwelling  in  our  souls 
in  process  of  sanctification  ?  Only  by  illustrations 
from  the  beauties  seen  around  us  in  the  world.     The 


INTRODUCTION.  G9 

eyes  of  doves ;  the  flock  of  goats  on  Mount  Gilead ; 
the  flock  of  sheep  coming  up  from  the  washing;  the 
thread  of  scarlet;  the  piece  of  pomegranate;  the 
majestic  tower  of  David,  whereon  hung  a  thousand 
shields;  the  twin  roes  feeding  among  the  lilies;  the 
city  Tirzah,  situated  beautifully  on  Judah's  hills ; 
Jerusalem  on  Mount  Zion,  magnificent  for  situation; 
the  jewels  wrought  by  the  hands  of  a  cunning  work- 
man ;  the  heap  of  wheat  set  about  with  lilies ;  the 
tower  of  ivory;  the  limpid  fish-pools  in  Heshbon; 
the  tower  of  Lebanon,  which  looketh  towards  Damas- 
cus; Carmel  crowned  with  verdure  and  flowers;  the 
stately  palm-trees,  with  clusters  of  grapes;  the  fair- 
ness of  the  moon;  the  clearness  of  the  sun;  the 
grandeur  of  an  army  with  streaming  banners — all 
these  things  are  beautiful  in  themselves,  and  on  any 
one  of  them  we  can  dwell  long,  with  great  pleasure ; 
what  is  the  measure  of  the  beauty  pouring  into  our 
mind  from  them  all  combined?  Yet  the  Lord  Jesus 
says,  by  his  Spirit,  that  all  the  pleasure  we  can  have 
from  contemplating  all  these  objects,  is  nothing  more 
than  a  shadow  of  the  pleasure  he  has  in  dwelling  on 
the  character  and  ripening  graces  of  his  saints.  It 
is  no  part  of  our  duty,  to  let  the  imagination  so  carry 
us  away  from  the  direct  line  of  interpretation  as  to 
inquire,  what  there  is  in  the  renewed  soul  answering 
to  the  teeth  in  the  body,  and  why  believers  "have 
not  such  teeth  as  lions  and  tigers,  but  such  as  sheep 
have;  nor  tusks  like  dogs  and  ravenous  beasts,  but 
even  shorn;"* — as  to  inquire  what  is  meant  by  the 

*  Durham,  on  chap.  iv.  2. 

7 


70  INTRODUCTION. 

head  of  Jesus,  and  in  what  respects  that  head  resem- 
bles the  most  fine  gold.  In  these,  and  in  all  the 
other  particulars  of  the  descriptions  here  given,  the 
material  point  of  the  comparison  lies  in  the  beauty  of 
the  impression  made,  and  the  pleasure  thereby  ex- 
cited. The  spiritual  beauty  of  Christ  could  not  be 
set  forth  intelligibly  to  our  dull  and  carnal  compre- 
hension, otherwise  than  by  reference  to  the  beauty  of 
the  human  form ;  the  same  is  true  concerning  the 
beauty  of  the  renovated  soul  of  man.  And  it  may 
assuredly  encourage  and  gratify  us  to  know,  that  the 
soul  of  the  believer  excites  in  the  bosom  of  Jesus, 
and  the  loveliness  of  Christ  excites  in  the  heart  of 
the  saint,  deeper  emotions  of  beauty  and  delight  than 
can  spring  from  the  contemplation  of  all  the  objects 
of  splendour  mentioned  in  these  descriptions,  com- 
bined in  one  dazzling  group. 

The  theory  we  have  adopted  in  explaining  these 
passages,  does  away  with  the  necessity  of  resorting 
to  the  supposition  adopted  by  Harmer,  Kitto,  and 
others,  that  in  these  descriptions  of  the  bride  and  the 
beloved,  the  parts  of  the  description  which  seem  not 
in  accordance  with  our  ideas  of  delicacy,  are  to  be 
taken  as  portraying  the  dress  on  such  parts  of  the 
body.  We  are  however  obliged  to  think  that  the 
divine  poet  had  in  his  mind,  in  these  sketches,  the 
bride  and  bridegroom  in  their  bridal  dress.  1.  There 
can  be  no  reason  why  some  parts  of  the  body  should 
be  spoken  of  as  ornamented  and  others  not,  especially 
as  those  thus  mentioned,  are  not  the  parts  which 
delicacy  requires  to  be  kept  from  view.    Sec  chap.  i.  10, 


INTRODUCTION.  71 

and  chap.  vii.  1,  the  feet  with  sandals.  2.  The  men- 
tion of  some,  especially  under  such  circumstances, 
warrants  us  in  concluding  that  the  intention  of  the 
poet  was,  the  others  should  be  understood  as  thus 
ornamented.  3.  The  situation  in  which  the  parties 
are  placed  leads  us  to  look  for  this,  inasmuch  as 
there  was  no  time  when  they  were  more  carefully 
adorned,  and  wore  more  costly  ornaments  than  at 
the  celebration  of  nuptials.  4.  There  is  no  reason 
for  believing  that  any  parts  of  the  body,  beyond 
those  uncovered  according  to  ordinary  usage,  are 
intended  here  to  be  represented  as  unprotected  by 
clothing;  nor  is  anything  gained  by  portraying  them 
as  destitute  of  the  usual  drapery.  5.  Other  portions 
of  the  Scriptures  that  speak  of  the  redeemed  and  the 
Redeemer  glorified,  portray  them  in  costume  corres- 
pondingly appropriate  and  beautiful.  Rev.  i.  13 ;  vii.  9; 
xix.  8.  6.  This  idea  is  still  further  confirmed  by  the 
fact  that  these  descriptions  of  the  bride  and  the  be- 
loved are  in  public,  and  in  circumstances  where  the 
remarks  must  refer  to  impressions  of  beauty,  height- 
ened by  the  beauty  of  a  bridal  dress.  In  chap.  v.  9 — 16, 
the  words  of  the  spouse  are  addressed  to  the  daughters 
of  Jerusalem  in  the  street;  and  in  chap.  vi.  and  vii.  the 
language  is  evidently  uttered  in  the  garden  among 
the  virgins.  See  chap.  vi.  2,  in  connection  with  chap. 
v.  8,  9.  7.  The  idea  that  some  parts  of  the  body  are 
here  represented  as  naked,  has  arisen  entirely  from 
misapprehension  of  the  meaning  of  some  passages, 
such  as  chap.  v.  14,  and  vii.  12.  8.  The  end  in 
view  here,   is  to  set  forth  the   beauty   of  the   two 


72  INTRODUCTION. 

parties;  elegance  of  dress,  so  far  from  Interfering 
with  this  splendour  of  appearance,  was  the  direct 
means  for  increasing  its  effect ;  every  thing  offensive 
to  our  ideas  of  what  is  beautiful  must  be  excluded, 
and  when  it  is  said  such  and  such  parts  of  the  body 
are  thus  and  thus  beautiful,  then  there  is  no  necessity 
for  our  stopping  and  inquiring  whether  such  beauty 
arises  from  this  or  the  other  ornament  adorning  it, 
or  whether  there  be  indeed  any  ornament,  unless  it 
be  specifically  mentioned. 

Truth  lies  amid  the  beauties  of  allegory  as  the 
clusters  of  grapes  hang  among  the  branches  and 
leaves  of  the  vine;  and  as  the  good  husbandman, 
instead  of  cutting  down  the  vine  and  manufacturing 
it  into  various  shapes  according  to  his  peculiar  fancy, 
will  gather  the  fruit  and  leave  the  branches  un- 
touched— we  are  using  allegories  aright,  only  when 
gathering  carefully  the  clusters  of  truth  hid  in  their 
rich  and  luxuriant  folds.  This  Song  is  a  fruitful  Lough, 
even  a  fruitful  bough  by  a  well — a  choice  vine  brought 
out  of  heaven  and  planted  by  the  spiritual  brook  of 
Eshcol,  the  waters  of  life  along  which  are  found  those 
trees  of  life,  the  diversified  books  of  the  Scriptures. 
He  who  gave  us  this  spiritual  vine,  growing  so  luxuri- 
ant over  the  fountain  of  the  waters  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  for  our  refreshment  in  this  valley  of  Baca  on 
our  weary  pilgrimage  to  the  heavenly  Zion,  intended 
that  we  should  gather  the.  fruit,  not  that  we  should 
break  and  destroy  the  branches;  and  that  with  leaf 
that  never  withers,  these  fruits,  however  frequent- 
ly  gathered   by  passing   pilgrims,   should   still   bud 


INTRODUCTION.  73 

forth  in  fresh  and  ripening  clusters,  beautiful  and 
reviving  to  each  successive  generation  even  to.  the 
end  of  the  world.  Much  is  said  about  the  indelicacy 
of  this  poem;  but  these  objections  have  arisen  less 
from  an  examination  of  the  book  on  its  own  merits, 
than  from  looking  at  the  fancies  of  commentators. 

Much  of  the  learning  gathered  around  this  subject 
contributes  little,  if  at  all,  to  that  spiritual  under- 
standing of  the  Song,  -which  is  the  ultimate  end  of  its 
inspiration.  The  history  of  the  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures  gives  a  pitiable  exhibition  of  the  workings 
of  error  in  the  human  mind.  There  is  hardly  a  pas- 
sage without  a  variety  of  interpretations,  opinions, 
and  fancies  engrafted  on  it;  of  these  notions  this 
book  has  received  no  ordinary  share.  So  far  from 
being  able  to  discover  divine  truth  by  its  unaided 
powers,  how  does  the  mind  pervert  these  truths  when 
revealed,  and  weave  from  them  the  most  silly  dreams. 
Ewald  has  truly  remarked:  "In  connection  with  this 
little  book  we  could  make  an  instructive  history  of 
interpretation  and  false  expositions,  as  a  representa- 
tion of  the  erroneous  methods  of  dark  exposition  of 
the  Scripture  and  the  mistakes  of  human  ingenuity; 
but  also  at  the  same  time,  as  an  encouraging  proof 
how,  from  the  light  of  impartial  criticism,  errors 
must  finally  vanish,  which  had  for  an  indefinite 
period  prevailed."  It  does  not  lie  within  the  compass 
of  the  present  introduction,  to  give  a  history  of  the 
opinions  on  this  book,  or  even  the  names  of  its  many 
commentators.     Rosenmiiller   gives    a   catalogue    of 

one  hundred  and  twenty-five  who  have  written  com- 

7* 


74  INTRODUCTION. 

mentaries  on  it;  and  there  are  many  not  included  in 
his  list.  The  general  opinion  of  the  Jewish  Church 
may  perhaps  be  gathered  from  the  Chaldee  paraphrase, 
though  this  is  possibly  not  earlier  than  the  sixth  cen- 
tury after  Christ.  It  is  accessible  to  English  readers 
in  the  early  edition  of  Gill's  Commentary  on  the 
Song,  and  in  the  Commentary  of  Dr.  Adam  Clark ; 
and  represents  the  Song  as  illustrating  the  love  of 
God  towards  his  people  in  leading  th^m  through  the 
wilderness  into  Caanan.  Some  of  the  Jewish  writers 
advanced  the  opinion  afterwards  adopted  by  Rosen- 
miiller,  that  the  spouse  is  the  wisdom  which  Solomon 
asked  and  received  from  heaven.  This  was  the  sen- 
timent of  Abarbenel  in  the  sixteenth  century.  Ori- 
gen,  whose  love  of  allegory  this  book  perfectly  suited, 
wrote  ten  books  of  commentaries  on  the  Song,  of 
which  two  homilies  translated  from  the  Greek  are 
found  in  Latin  in  the  works  of  Jerome;  and  four 
books  of  commentaries  in  the  version  of  Rufmus,  the 
contemporary  of  Jerome,  by  whom  several  of  the 
works  of  Origen  were  translated.  Jerome  says, 
"  Origen  having  in  his  other  writings  exceeded  all 
others,  has  in  his  work  on  the  Song  of  songs, 
exceeded  himself.  In  this  work,  extended  to  great 
length,  he  has  discoursed  so  grandly  and  lucidly,  that 
he  seems  to  have  fulfilled  that  which  is  written,  '  The 
king  has  brought  me  into  his  chambers.' '  He  gives 
it  an  allegorical  interpretation  as  showing  the  commu- 
nion of  the  soul  of  the  saint  or  the  church  with  the 
Redeemer.  Epiphanius,  Philo,  Theodoret,  Cassiodo- 
rus,  and  most  of  the  fathers,  follow  in  the  track  of 


INTRODUCTION.  •  75 

Origen.  Gregory  of  Nyssa  wrote  fifteen  homilies 
containing  an  allegorical  exposition  to  the  end  of  the 
sixth  chapter.  Augustin*  says,  "  The  Song  of  songs 
is  a  spiritual  delight  of  holy  minds,  in  the  nuptial 
union  of  that  king  and  queen  of  the  heavenly  king- 
dom, which  is  Christ  and  the  Church.  But  this 
pleasure  is  wrapped  up  in  folds  of  allegory  that  it 
may  be  more  ardently  desired  and  may  be  unfolded 
with  greater  delight."  Theodoret  states  that  Cy- 
prian, Eusebius,  and  others  nearer  the  time  of  the 
apostles,  recognized  this  as  a  spiritual  book,  though,  as 
at  present,  there  were  some  who  denied  it.  Theodore 
of  Mopsuestia  opposed  the  allegorical  interpretation, 
and  supposed  this  book  written  for  gaining  the  affec- 
tion of  an  Ethiopian  princess.  He  was  condemned 
by  the  council  of  Constantinople  for  disparaging  the 
Song  as  an  impure  book,  though  Lardner  observes 
this  accusation  was  probably  untrue  and  had  been 
made  by  his  enemies.  In  a  fragment  of  his  that  has 
come  down  to  us,  he  says  that  this  book  should  not  be 
looked  on  as  immoral,  nor  yet  commended  as  fit  for 
the  spiritual  edification  of  the  Church,  but  is,  like  the 
Banquet  of  Plato,  a  nuptial  song  of  Solomon.  Theo- 
doret and  Theodore  were  the  leading  expositors  of 
their  age;  and  to  the  latter,  the  former  seems  to  refer 
when  speaking  of  some  who  calumniate  the  Song  of 
songs  and  do  not  believe  it  a  spiritual  book.  Theo- 
dore was  possibly  led  to  disparage  the  book  by  his 
opposition  to  the  allegorical  mode  of  exposition  car- 

*  De  Civ.  Dei,  lib.  17,  20. 


76  INTRODUCTION. 

ried  to  such  extent  by  Origen,  against  whom  and  con- 
cerning allegories  he  wrote  a  treatise.  It  is  worthy 
of  consideration,  that  while  Theodore  of  Mopsuestia 
was  a  man  of  learning,  a  great  expositor  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, of  celebrated  piety,  and  died  in  the  communion 
of  the  Church,  he  was  considered  to  have  given  a 
start  to  the  Pelagian  and  Nestorian  heresies.  His 
view  of  the  Song  seems  to  have  been  in  accordance 
with  the  views  taken  of  it  at  the  present  day  by  some 
pious  and  eminent  interpreters  holding  sentiments 
verging  towards  Pelagianism. 

As  in  other  domains  of  theology,  the  various  opin- 
ions concerning  this  book  in  modern  times  are  to 
some  extent  the  resurrection  and  reproduction  of  the 
notions  of  the  early  ages.  That  the  Song  is  a  contin- 
uous and  coherent  whole,  was  never  doubted  till  the 
time  of  Bichard  Simon,  who  supposed  that  this  book 
was  made  up  of  the  productions  of  different  authors, 
who  cannot  however  be  now  known,  as  they  have  left 
no  distinguishing  marks  for  recognizing  them.  With 
him  agreed  Le  Clerc ;  and  the  opinion  has  since  been 
maintained  by  Eichhorn,  Jahn,  Pareau,  and  others. 
Klenker,  Hufnagel,  and  others,  hold  that  the  book 
consists  of  separate  erotic  Songs  which  were  gathered 
into  one  collection  by  some  person,  like  the  Psalms 
and  Proverbs.  Bossuet,  followed  by  Bishop  Percy, 
Calmet,  Taylor,  and  Williams,  supposes  it  a  kind  of 
drama  consisting  of  seven  acts,  each  act  occupying  a 
day,  and  answering  to  the  number  of  days  during 
which  wedding  services  were  celebrated.  Lowth 
adopts  this  with  some   reservation,  viewing  it  as  a 


INTRODUCTION.  77 

nuptial  dialogue  or  song  of  loves,  as  psalm  xlv.,  and  in 
the  chorus  of  virgins,  bearing  some  resemblance  to 
the  Greek  drama.  Milton  calls  it  "a  divine  pastoral 
drama,  consisting  of  two  persons  and  a  double  chorus, 
as  Origen  rightly  judges."  Delitzsch  makes  it  a 
drama  of  six  acts,  and  divides  each  act  into  two 
scenes.  From  the  likeness  here  discovered  to  the 
cassides  or  idyls  of  the  Arabian  poets,  Sir  William 
Jones  thinks  this  book  consists  of  a  collection  of 
Hebrew  idyls.  In  this  he  is  followed  by  Bauer, 
Jahn  who  makes  it  consist  of  eight  idyls,  Melesegenio 
an  Italian  translator  of  this  poem,  John  Mason  Good, 
and  after  him  Fry,  who  make  it  consist  of  twelve 
idyls.  In  his  work,  the  "JEdogae  regis  Salomonis, 
Leipzig,  1777,"  Lessing  views  them  as  pastorals 
like  the  eclogues  of  Virgil  and  Theocritus. 

From  the  age  of  Theodore  of  Mopsuestia,  the  alle- 
gorical interpretation  of  the  Song  prevailed  till  the 
time  of  Erasmus,  who  is  said  to  be  the  first  among  the 
moderns  wTho  took  ground  against  it.  The  modern 
Romish  interpreters  have  generally  followed  Origen 
and  Jerome  in  their  expositions;  some  of  them  make 
Christ  the  beloved  and  Mary  the  bride.  St.  Bernard 
wrote  eighty-six  sermons  on  the  first  two  chapters, 
which  are  highly  commended  by  Erasmus.  Gene- 
brand,  a  Benedictine,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth 
century  wrote  a  larger  and  a  smaller  commentary, 
in  which  great  use  is  made  of  copious  quotations  from 
the  Rabbins.  Cocceius  holds  it  to  be  a  prophetical 
representation  of  the  destiny  of  the  Christian  Church. 
This   notion    has    been    entertained    by    others,    as 


78  INTRODUCTION. 

Brightman  and  Cotton.  Some  have  even  gone  so  far 
as  to  point  out  the  several  periods  to  which  the  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  Song  may  be  referred,  answering  to 
the  states  of  the  seven  churches  of  Asia,  in  the  book 
of  Revelation,  and  making  these  last  also  prophetical. 
Robinson  of  Cambridge  supposes  it  a  topographical 
essay,  descriptive  of  some  beautiful  places  in  the 
estates  of  Solomon  ;  and  particularly  that  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  beloved,  in  chap,  v.,  means  nothing  but  a 
mountain  ornamented  with  copses,  and  enriched  with 
quarries  of  marble,  and  a  mine  of  gold.  John  Ger- 
hard, who  is  commended  by  Glassius*  in  the  highest 
terms  for  the  line  of  interpretation  adopted  in  his 
Postilla  Salomonea,  teaches  that  it  sets  forth  the  re- 
ciprocal love  of  Christ  and  his  Church.  Luther,  in 
his  commentary  on  the  Song,  following  somewhat  the 
track  of  Augustin,  views  it  as  a  kind  of  encomium  on 
the  government  of  Solomon,  making  God  the  beloved 
and  the  Jewish  church  the  bride ;  though  in  another 
treatise  he  takes  the  bride  to  mean  the  Christian  Church. 
Hug  understands  by  the  bride  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel, 
of  whom  a  meagre  remnant  being  left  in  their  coun- 
try after  the  destruction  of  the  kingdom  of  Samaria, 
wished  to  unite  with  the  kingdom  of  Judah ;  but  the 
citizens  of  Judah,  who  are  represented  by  the  brothers 
of  Shulamith,  oppose  this,  because  the  citizens  of 
Israel  were  not  suitable  for  such  union.  This  notion 
has  been  opposed  and  refuted  by  Bertholdt.  Kaiser 
takes  it  as  historico-allegorical,  and  celebrating  the 
restoration   of  the    Mosaic   worship   by  Zcrubbabel, 

*  Philologia  Sacra,  1959. 


INTRODUCTION.  79 

Ezra,  and  Nehemiah.  In  1764,  appeared  an  anony- 
mous translation,  with  notes,  since  known  to  have 
been  made  by  Bishop  Percy,  which,  though  professing 
to  go  no  farther  than  an  explanation  of  the  literal 
meaning,  and  seeming  really  to  appreciate  some  of  its 
beauties,  does  nevertheless  make  many  suggestions 
untrue,  unnecessary,  and  degrading  to  the  Scriptures. 
In  1768,  Hariner  published  his  "  Outlines  of  a  New 
Commentary  on  the  Song  of  Solomon."  Viewing  the 
Song  not  as  a  pastoral,  nor  as  an  epithalamium,  he 
considered  it  as  describing  a  royal  marriage,  that  of 
Solomon  with  an  Egyptian  princess,  yet  an  allegory 
illustrating  the  love  of  God,  in  admitting  the  Gentiles 
to  equal  privileges  with  the  Jews.  He  divides  his 
work  into  three  parts: — 1.  Remarks  on  the  general 
nature  of  the  Song ;  2.  Observations  on  detached 
places  of  it;  3.  Queries  concerning  the  rest  of  this 
poem.  The  work  of  Jacobi,  in  1771,  found  many  fol- 
lowers; still  more  that  of  Herder,  in  1778,  who,  treat- 
ing the  Song  as  different  erotic  idyls,  carried  through 
his  design  with  such  judgment  and  taste  as  to  find 
general  acceptance.  While  confining  his  exposition 
entirely  to  the  verbal  meaning,  Rosenmuller  views  the 
Song  as  an  allegory ;  and  though,  in  a  treatise  pub- 
lished in  1813,  he  explained  it  after  the  Chaldee  para- 
phrase and  Sol.  Jarchi,  as  representing  the  mutual 
love  of  Christ  and  his  Church,  he  afterwards  changed 
his  opinion,  and  supposed  it  to  set  forth  the  mutual 
loves  of  Solomon  and  wisdom.  Making  it  a  drama  in 
four  acts,  Ewald  supposes  that  when  abroad  in  his 
chariot,  Solomon  fell  in  with  a  beautiful  country  girl 


80  INTRODUCTION. 

near  Engeddi,  and  having  had  her  forcibly  carried 
off,  tries  to  gain  her  love  by  this  poetry.  Michaelis 
thinks  it  is  for  recommending  conjugal  love ;  he  has 
been  opposed  by  Eichhorn,  Jahn,  and  Rosenmiiller, 
who  suppose  the  love  of  two  young  unmarried  persons 
is  here  represented.  Umbreit,  Lindeman,  Velthusen, 
and  Ammon,  think  it  consists  of  love  epistles  ad- 
dressed by  Solomon  to  a  shepherdess,  who  neverthe- 
less remains  faithful  to  her  husband.  The  gross  views 
of  Grotius  need  not  be  repeated,  of  whom  Doderlein 
said :  Gfrotii  turpem  ac  obscenam  interpretationem  ex 
eo  genere  existimo  quod  turpitudinis  occasionem  rapit. 
Nor  need  we  mention  those  of  Whiston,  who  held  it  to 
be  a  dissolute  love  song.  Hence,  Semler,  without 
any  reason,  but  on  the  mere  strength  of  this  fancy, 
refuses  to  take  any  notice  of  this  book,  as  a  production 
beyond  all  question  spurious.  Adam  Clark  treats 
this  Song  with  disrespect,  while  making  it  an  occasion 
for  showing  some  oriental  learning,  and  thinks  it  im- 
possible to  bring  any  reasons  for  an  allegorical  mean- 
ing. Professor  Stuart  has  not  written  a  commentary 
on  this  book,  but  in  his  work  on  the  Old  Testament, 
when  giving  "  Conscientious  scruples  to  a  part  of  the 
Old  Testament,"  utters  sentiments  which  could  excite 
no  surprise  in  one  not  receiving  this  book  as  canoni- 
cal, but  which,  in  a  man  of  his  position,  piety  and  in- 
fluence, cannot  do  otherwise  than  cause  deep  regret. 
Some  men,  like  Good  and  Rosenmiiller,  who  have  gone 
no  further  than  the  illustration  of  the  literal  meaning, 
have  yet  held  to  an  allegorical  sense. 

Amid  this  chaos  of  notions  and  fantasies,  there  has 


INTRODUCTION.  81 

always  been  among  orthodox  Christians,  as  much 
general  unanimity  concerning  the  meaning  of  this 
book,  as  that  of  any  other  book  of  the  Bible ;  amply 
sufficient  to  justify  the  language  of  Munster,  the 
eminent  follower  of  Luther:  "  The  general  Church  of 
Christ  hold  that  in  this  divine  Song  are  contained  the 
mysteries  of  the  love  of  Christ  and  the  Church."  This 
is  the  scope  of  the  exposition  of  John  Gerhard;  of  the 
homilies  of  Beza  on  the  first  three  chapters;  of  the 
excellent  discourses  on  some  passages  of  this  book  by 
Romaine ;  and  of  the  commentary  on  the  Song  by  Lady 
Guyon.  With  these  President  Edwards  agrees,  who 
views  it  as  "representing  the  high  and  glorious  relation, 
and  union,  and  love,  that  are  between  Christ  and  his 
redeemed  Church."  The  same  view  is  taken  by  Henry 
and  Scott,  in  their  commentaries;  and  by  Owen,  in 
his  treatise  "On  Communion  with  God,"  and  in  other 
parts  of  his  writings,  where  many  passages  of  this 
book  are  incidentally  expounded.  The  examination 
of  the  Song  by  Delitzsch,  is  a  valuable  contribution 
on  this  subject,  entirely  different  in  spirit  and  design 
from  that  of  Dopke,  which  is,  however,  of  great  worth 
for  philological  research,  and  appreciation  of  many  of 
the  poetical  beauties.  To  Gill's  volume  may  be  ap- 
plied what  Robert  Hall  said  unjustly  of  Owen's  works, 
"a  continent  of  mud."  We  may  well  wonder  that, 
with  apparently  the  best  intentions,  and  a  regard  for 
the  Scriptures,  many  good  men,  instead  of  trying  to 
soften  down  and  accommodate  to  present  views  some 
peculiar  oriental  expressions  in  the  Song,  seem  to 
have  exerted  their  ingenuity  for  getting  from  it  as 
8 


82  INTRODUCTION. 

many  amatory  ideas  as  possible.  What  we  mean  may 
be  seen  by  referring  to  Bishop  Percy's  annotations 
and  introduction.  We  are  free  to  say,  that  after  read- 
ing, studying,  and  meditating  on  the  Song  for  years, 
we  had  never  entertained  the  faintest  suspicion  that 
some  passages  are  to  be  understood  in  their  literal 
sense,  according  to  his  gross  and  offensive  explana- 
tions. Let  any  person  who  is  disposed  to  find  fault 
with  this  portion  of  Scripture,  take  it  and  read  it  as 
it  appears  to  an  unprejudiced  mind,  unoccupied  with 
any  theories;  and  then  let  him  read  what  has  been 
made  out  of  it  by  some  commentators ;  and  we  are 
confident  he  will  feel  that  the  Holy  Spirit  has  woven 
the  allegory  of  a  beautiful  and  delicate  texture,  and 
that  the  offensiveness  imputed  to  it,  arises  from  the  per- 
version of  man.  We  are  unable  to  understand  what 
good  can  possibly  arise  from  such  representations  as 
those  of  Bishop  Percy  and  others.  But  they  do  posi- 
tive injury.  They  degrade  the  Scriptures  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  irreligious ;  and  they  infest  the  pious 
mind  with  associations  of  which  it  can  be  with  difficulty 
divested,  and  which  might  never  have  arisen  without 
this  foreign  aid.  Even  in  the  commentaries  of  such 
men  as  Gill  and  Durham,  amid  so  much  that  is  spiritual 
and  edifying,  there  are  interpretations  offensive  to 
every  thing  like  good  taste,  and  the  more  to  be  re- 
gretted, because  irrelevant,  unnecessary,  and  incor- 
rect. Like  the  miracles  of  the  fabulous  gospels,  in 
contrast  with  the  narrative  of  the  Evangelists,  many 
of  the  efforts  of  the  human  mind  on  this  Song,  in  com- 
parison with  the  simplicity  of  the  language,  not  in  the 


INTRODUCTION.  83 

English  version,  but  in  the  original  Hebrew,  show 
with  what  superiority  the  Holy  Spirit  manages  so  deli- 
cate a  subject. 

We  have  spent  no  time  on  the  inquiry,  whether  the 
Song  has  any  of  the  characteristics  of  the  Greek 
drama ;  whether  it  contains,  according  to  regular  divi- 
sions, the  actions  of  the  seven  distinct  days  allotted 
to  the  celebration  of  the  Jewish  nuptials ;  or  whether, 
according  to  Dr.  Good,  it  consists  of  twelve  sacred 
idyls.  The  fact  that  so  many  commentators  have 
tried  to  divide  this  book,  whether  into  seven  parts 
answering  to  the  seven  days  necessary  for  celebrating 
a  Jewish  marriage,  or  into  separate  idyls,  or  into  a 
drama,  shows  there  must  be  ground  for  a  division  of 
some  kind.  Taking  the  Song  as  designed  to  illustrate 
the  operations  of  holy  love,  under  various  circum- 
stances, we  feel  that  the  grouping  together  of  the  inci- 
dents to  elucidate  the  different  periods  of  growth  in 
grace,  must  make  changes  in  the  thread  of  the  story, 
and  those  changes  often  abrupt.  The  summary  and 
analysis  we  have  attempted,  will  show  the  reason  there 
is  for  those  changes  of  scene,  and  account  for  them 
fully,  without  any  resort  to  the  attempt  at  finding 
out  idyls,  or  the  different  scenes  of  a  drama.*     Nor 

*  The  following  are  some  of  the  divisions  adopted  by  differ- 
ent commentators : 

Dditzsch. 
Act  I.  chap.  i.  2  —  ii.  17.      Scene  1,  chap.  i.  2  — 17.       Scene  2,  chap.  ii.  1  — 7. 
II.  ii.  8 — hi.  5.  ii.  8 — ii.  17.  iii.  1 — iii.  5. 

III.  iii.  6— v.  1.  iii.  6  — iii.  11.  iv.  1— v.  1. 

IV.  v.  2  —  vi.  9.  v.  2  —  vi.  2.  vi.  3  —  vi.  9. 
V.        vi.  10  —  viii.  4.                           vi.  10  —  vii.  5.                         vii.  6  —  viii.  4. 

VI.        viii.  5  — 1-4.  viii.  5  — 7.  viii.  8  —  14. 


8-4  INTRODUCTION. 

is  it  necessary  to  spend  time  in  determining  the 
truth  or  falsity  of  the  opinions,  that  it  was  written  to 
celebrate  the  marriage  of  Solomon — that  the  bride 
was  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh — or  even  that  the  cir- 
cumstances here  recorded  are  undoubted  facts.  Were 
these  points  settled  beyond  all  cavil,  they  could  not 
throw  a  single  ray  of  light  on  the  spiritual  meaning 
of  the  allegory.  The  truths  intended  to  be  taught 
remain  the  same,  whether  the  incidents  had  existence 
in  reality,  or  in  imagination.  What  benefit  could  be 
derived  from  our  knowing  there  was  a  specific  indivi- 
dual designated  in  the  parable  of  the  sower,  who  he 
was,  what  was  his  name?  The  truths  and  duties  in- 
culcated by  our  Lord,  in  Luke  xix.  12 — 27,  receive 
no  additional  force  from  knowing  that  the  nobleman 
mentioned  was  the  son  of  Herod,  and  the  far  country 
to  which  he  went,  was  the  city  of  Rome.  The  beauty 
and  instructiveness  of  the  allegory  in  Spenser's  Faery 
Queen,  are  no  more  delightful  and  profitable  to  him 
who  sees  in  the  different  sketches  portraits  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  Sir  Philip  Sidney,  and  others,  than  it  is  to 
him  who  may  happily  read  the  same  poetry,  ignorant 

Bossuet.  Good.  Jalin. 
Day  1,  chap.  i.  ii.  1 — 6.        Idyl  1,  chap.  i.  1—8.             Song  1,  chap.  i.  to  ii.  7. 

2,  ii.  7—17.  2,  i.  9  to  ii.  7.  2,  ii.  8  to  iii.  5. 

3,  iii.  iv.  v.  1.  3,  ii.  8— 17.  3,  iii.  6  to  v.  1. 

4,  v.  2  to  vi.  9.  4,  iii.  1—5.  4,  v.  2  to  vi.  9. 

5,  vi.10tovii.ll.  5,  iii.  0  to  iv.  7.  5,  vi.  10  toviii.3. 

6,  vii.  12 toviii.3.  6,  iv.  8  to  v.  1.  6,  viii.  4— 7. 
Sab.  7,           viii.  4—14.  7,  v.  2  to  vi.  10.  7,  viii.  8—12. 

8,  vi.  11—13.  8,  viii.  13—14. 

9,  vii.  1—9. 

10,  vii.  10  to  viii.  4 

11,  viii.  5 — 7. 

12,  viii.  S— 14. 


INTRODUCTION.  85 

of  any  such  historical  allusions.  The  very  nature  of 
an  allegory  renders  it  perfectly  unimportant  whether 
the  incidents  be  real  or  imaginary. 

Taking,  therefore,  this  Song  as  an  allegory,  whose 
imagery  has  been  drawn  from  the  court  of  Solomon, 
for  illustrating  the  mutual  love  of  Christ  and  the 
Church,  we  cannot  understand  it  fully,  without  view- 
ing that  love  as  exercised  in  the  case  of  individual 
believers.  Taking  the  Church  as  a  whole,  its  love 
becomes  a  generality  of  the  vaguest  kind,  intangible 
and  unsatisfactory.  But  when  we  take  the  exercises 
of  an  individual  heart,  all  is  intelligible  and  interest- 
ing. Jesus  loves  the  Church,  by  loving  every  single 
member  of  the  Church ;  and  manifests  his  love  to  the 
Church,  by  a  special  manifestation  made  to  every 
member  of  the  Church. 

"  Sees  all,  as  if  that  all  were  one, 
Loves  one,  as  if  that  one  were  all." 

The  Song  was  given  to  illustrate  that  love ;  and 
hence  it  must  be  interpreted  by  looking  at  the  mani- 
festations of  the  love  of  Jesus  towards  every  believer, 
and  at  the  corresponding  exercises  of  every  believer 
towards  Jesus. 

In  the  glorious  temple  of  revelation,  a  place  which 
the  Lord  our  God  has  chosen  to  cause  his  name  to 
dwell  there,  even  in  brighter  glory  than  in  the  temple 
of  the  material  world,  does  this  book  stand,  like  one 
of  the  apartments  in  the  temple  on  Mount  Zion,  small 
indeed,  but  exquisitely  finished,  the  walls  and  ceiling 
of  something  richer  than  cedar,  richer  than  bright 
ivory  overlaid  with  sapphires,   and  filled  with  speci- 


86  INTRODUCTION. 

mens  of  truth  brought  down  from  heaven  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  here  deposited  for  the  comfort  and  delight 
of  those  who  love  the  habitation  of  God's  house,  and 
the  place  where  his  glory  dwelleth.  As  the  man 
skilled  in  geology  will  take  a  bone  of  fossil  remains 
from  a  bygone  world,  and  from  this  alone  restore  the 
whole  fabric  of  the  creature  to  which  it  belonged,  with 
a  knowledge  of  its  nature  and  instincts;  so  may  we 
take  the  germs  of  truth,  the  heavenly  fossils  laid  up 
for  us  with  such  care  in  the  spiritual  treasury  of  this 
Song,  and,  taught  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  our  souls  may 
develope  the  system  of  heavenly  love,  the  mutual  affec- 
tion of  Jesus  and  his  saints — a  love  not  native  to  our 
earth  in  its  present  fallen  state,  but  existing  in  all  the 
vigour  and  fulness  of  an  immortal  life,  in  yonder  hea- 
venly world.  In  the  Banquet,*  Plato  puts  into  the 
mouth  of  Alcibiades  sentiments,  which  show  that  the 
principles  contended  for  in  the  Song  are  recognized 
in  other  great  productions  of  antiquity.  "  Should  any 
one  be  willing  to  hear  the  discourses  of  Socrates,  they 
will  appear  to  be  very  ridiculous  at  first ;  so  that  every 
man  who  has  neither  skill  nor  sense,  will  laugh  at  his 
words.  But  he  who  beholds  his  discourses  when 
opened,  and  gets  within  them,  will  in  the  first  place 
find  that  they  alone  of  all  other  discourses  possess  an 
internal  meaning;  and  in  the  next  place,  that  they 
are  most  divine,  and  hold  the  most  numerous  images 
of  virtue,  and  extend  to  the  farthest  point,  or  rather 
to  every  thing  which  it  is  fitting  for  him  to  consider 
who  intends  to  become  a  man,  both  morally  beautiful 
and  good." 

*  Banquet,  p.  247. 


SUMMARY  OF  THE  SONG. 


This  Book  consists  of  three  parts :  The  first  in- 
cludes chapter  i.  verse  1 ;  chapter  ii.  verse  7.  The 
second  extends  from  chapter  ii.  verse  8,  to  chapter 
vii.  verse  9.  The  third  includes  the  remainder  of 
the  book,  chapter  vii.  verse  10,  to  chapter  viii.  verse 
14. 

I.  The  way  in  which  the  soul  longing  for  the  mani- 
festation of  the  love  of  Christ  is  led  along  in  the  gra- 
tification of  that  desire,  from  one  degree  to  another  of 
pious  enjoyment,  until  attaining  the  greatest  delight 
possible  for  the  saint  in  the  present  world.  Chap.  i. 
1 ;  chap.  ii.  7. 

These  periods  of  enjoyment  are  separated  by  vicis- 
situdes of  fortune  and  diversity  of  feeling,  through 
which  the  believer  is  brought  to  those  more  cheering 
scenes  in  his  progress  to  heaven.  These  seasons  may 
be  repeated  in  our  experience,  some  of  them  more 
than  once,  before  we  attain  those  which  succeed. 
1.  We  enjoy  the  love  of  Jesus,  as  manifested  in  pri- 


88  SUMMARY    OF     THE     SONG. 

vate  communion,   in  "his   chambers."     Chap.  i.  4. 

2.  In  the  way  of  duty  and  self-denial.  Chap.  i.  7 — 11. 

3.  In  sitting  with  the  King  in  the  circle  of  his  friends, 
and  enjoying,  as  one  of  them,  the  delights  of  social 
communion  with  him.  Chap.  i.  12 — 14.  4.  In  de- 
lightful repose  with  him  amid  enlarged  prospects  of 
spiritual  beauty.  Chap.  i.  15 — 17.  5.  In  the  protec- 
tion and  delights  set  forth  in  chap.  ii.  1 — 3.  6.  And 
in  enjoying,  at  last,  the  pleasures  mentioned  in  chap, 
ii.  4 — 7,  the  greatest  possible  on  earth. 

II.  An  exhibition  of  motives  by  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  would  allure  such  soul  away  from  the  present 
world,  for  being  with  him  in  glory.  Chap.  ii.  8;  chap, 
vii.  9. 

As  we  are  treated  throughout  our  redemption  and 
discipline  here,  like  beings  possessing  a  will,  the  spirit- 
ual decays  and  sluggishness  into  which  we  are  liable 
to  fall,  must  be  counteracted  by  the  presentation  of 
powerful  motives  to  the  mind;  and  our  faith  can  be 
best  matured  by  strengthening  the  soul,  as  is  done  in 
these  periods  of  great  enjoyment,  and  then  leaving  us 
in  that  strength,  without  such  sensible  pleasures,  to 
manifest  our  steadfastness  by  struggling  against  diffi- 
culty and  the  absence  of  Jesus,  by  dependence  on  his 
word  and  promises  and  love.  Hence  our  Lord  allures 
us — 

1.  By  the  beauty  of  heaven,  as  a  place  he  has  pre- 
pared for  us,  and  where  he  is  awaiting  us.  Chap.  ii. 
8—17. 

2.  By  the  splendour  of  the  reception  awaiting  us 


SUMMARY     OF     THE     SONG.  89 

there,  no  less  than  by  the  security  and  grandeur  of 
our  conveyance  towards  glory.     Chap.  iii.  1 — 11. 

3.  By  his  great  love  for  us — an  affection  so  intense 
as  to  be  incapable  of  being  fully  expressed  by  the 
strongest  illustrations,  and  so  strong  as  to  remain 
constant  even  amid  our  neglect.  Chap.  iv.  1;  chap, 
vii.  9. 

III.  The  effect  produced  on  the  heart  of  the  saint 
by  these  manifestations  of  love,  and  by  these  motives. 
Chap.  vii.  10;  chap.  viii.  14.  1.  Assurance  of  hope. 
Chap.  vii.  10.  2.  Desire  to  be  much  alone  in  com- 
munion with  Christ.  Chap.  vii.  11.  3.  Willingness 
to  engage  in  labours  of  holiness  and  love.  Verse  12. 
4.  Consecration  to  him  of  our  best  and  most  valued 
gifts  and  possessions.  Verse  13.  5.  Desire  that  every 
thing  hindering  the  full  interchange  of  affection  be- 
tween Jesus  and  our  soul  may  be  removed.  Chap.  viii. 
1 — 2.  6.  The  desire  to  guard  against  every  sin  and 
every  act  at  all  likely  to  cause  the  withdrawal  of 
Jesus's  love.  Verse  3 — 4.  7.  The  pleasing  conscious- 
ness of  leaning  on  Jesus,  and  of  being  upheld  by  his 
everlasting  arms.  Verse  5.  8.  Desire  to  lie  continu- 
ally near  the  heart  of  Jesus,  and  to  be  sustained  by 
his  power.  Verse  6.  9.  Willingness  to  sacrifice  every 
thing  coming  between  us  and  Christ.  Verse  6.  10.  A 
conviction  of  the  meanness  of  every  thing  the  world 
could  offer  for  bribing  us  to  renounce  Christ.  Verse  7. 
11.  An  interest  for  the  salvation  of  the  impenitent. 
Verse  8 — 10.  12.  A  sense  of  our  accountability  as 
stewards  of  God,  holding  our  property  and  our  all  in 


90  SUMMARY    O  F   T  II  E    SONG. 

trust.  Verse  12.  13.  The  privilege  of  access  conti- 
nually to  the  throne  of  grace,  with  full  encourage- 
ment from  our  Lord  for  addressing  to  him  our  voices 
in  prayer  and  praise.  Verse  13.  14.  The  desire  for 
the  completion  of  our  redemption,  and  for  the  per- 
fecting of  his  love  to  us  and  of  our  love  to  him,  by 
the  second  coming  of  our  Lord.    Verse  14. 


TRANSLATION. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Ver.  1.  The  Song  of  songs  which  is  Solomon's, 
Spouse. 

2.  0  that  he  would  give  me  kisses  of  his  love : 
For  thy  love  is  more  delicious  than  wine. 

3.  Thy  perfumes  are  rich  in  fragrance; 
Thy  name  is  perfume  poured  forth ; 
Therefore  the  virgins  love  thee. 

4.  Draw  me;  we  will  run  after  thee: 

The  king  hath  brought  me  into  his  apartments : 

We  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  thee; 

We  will  cherish  a  more  pleasing  remembrance  of  thy 

love  than  of  wine ; 
They  love  thee  sincerely. 

5.  Dark  am  I  but  lovely,  0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem, 
As  the  tents  of  Kedar,  as  the  pavilions  of  Solomon. 

6.  Look  not  on  me,  I  am  dark, 
Because  the  sun  hath  browned  me; 

My  mother's  children  were  ill-disposed  towards  me; 
They  made  me  the  keeper  of  the  vineyards ; 
My  own  vineyard  have  I  not  kept. 

7.  Tell  me,  0  thou  whom  my  soul  loveth, 

Where  thou  feedest?  where  thou  makest  thy  flock  to 

rest  at  noon  ? 
For  why  should  I  be  as  one  veiled,* 
Among  the  flocks  of  thy  companions  ? 

*  Regarded  as  a  harlot. 


92  translation. 

Beloved. 

8.  If  thou  know  not,  0  thou  fairest  among  women, 
Go  forth  in  the  footsteps  of  the  flock, 

And  feed  thy  kids  beside  the  shepherds'  tents. 

9.  I  compare  thee,  0  my  love, 

To  my  chariot-steed  from  Pharaoh. 

10.  Thy  cheeks  are  beautiful  with  rows  of  jewels: 
Thy  neck  with  strings  of  pearls, 

11.  Gold  chains  will  we  make  for  thee, 
Adorned  with  studs  of  silver. 

Spouse. 

12.  While  the  king  sitteth  in  the  circle  of  his  friends, 
My  spikenard  diffuses  its  fragrance. 

13.  An  amulet  of  myrrh  is  my  beloved  to  me, 
Which  shall  continually  abide  in  my  bosom. 

14.  A  bouquet  of  cypress  flowers  is  my  beloved  to  me, 
From  the  garden  fields  of  Engedi. 

Beloved. 

15.  Behold,  thou  art  beautiful,  my  love, 

Behold,  thou  art  beautiful;  thine  eyes  are  cloves. 

Spouse. 

16.  Behold,  thou  art  beautiful,  my  beloved,  yea  attractive; 
And  the  green,  flowery  turf  is  our  place  of  repose. 

17.  The  roof  of  our  summer-house  is  cedars, 
Our  carved  ceiling  firs. 


CHAPTER  II. 

I  am  the  rose  of  Sharon, 
A  lily  of  the  valleys. 

Beloved. 
As  a  lily  among  the  thorns, 
So  is  my  love  among  the  daughters. 


TRANSLATION.  93 


Spouse. 


3.  As  a  citron  tree  among  trees  of  the  forest, 
So  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons. 

In  his  shade  I  delight  to  sit, 
And  his  fruit  is  sweet  to  my  taste. 

4.  He  brings  me  into  the  banqueting-house, 
And  his  banner  over  me  is  love. 

5.  Revive  me  with  cordials, 
Refresh  me  with  citrons, 
For  I  am  sick  of  love. 

C.  His  left  hand  is  under  my  head, 
And  his  right  hand  doth  embrace  me : 

7.  I  charge  you,  0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem, 
By  the  gazelles  and  by  the  hinds  of  the  field, 
That  ye  rouse  not  and  disturb  not 

My  love,  till  he  please. 

8.  Hark !  my  beloved :  behold,  there  he  comes 
Leaping  over  the  mountains,  bounding  over  the  hills. 

9.  My  beloved  is  like  a  gazelle,  or  a  beauteous  fawn. 
See !  he  is  standing  behind  our  wall; 

He  is  looking  in  through  the  window; 

He  is  throwing  sparkling  glances  from  behind  the  lattice. 

10.  My  beloved  begins  to  speak,  and  says  to  me; 

Arise,  my  companion,  my  beautiful  one,  and  come  away. 

11.  For,  lo,  the  winter  is  past, 
The  rain  is  over  and  gone. 

12.  The  flowers  appear  on  the  earth, 

The  time  of  singing  of  birds  has  come, 

And  the  voice  of  the  turtle-dove  is  heard  in  our  land. 

13.  The  fig-tree  is  distilling  aromatic  juice  into  its  green  figs; 
And  the  vines  in  blossom  are  sending  forth  fragrance : 
Arise,  come,  my  companion,  my  beautiful  one,  come 

away. 

14.  0  my  dove,  in  refuges  of  the  rock, 
In  a  hiding-place  of  the  precipice, 
Let  me  see  thy  countenance, 

Let  me  hear  thy  voice; 

For  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  countenance  lovely. 

9 


94  TRANSLATION. 

15.  Take  for  us  the  foxes, 

The  little  foxes  which  destroy  the  vines; 
For  our  vineyard  is  in  bloom. 

16.  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his; 
He  feeds  among  the  lilies. 

17.  Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away, 
Return  my  beloved, 

Like  a  gazelle,  or  a  beauteous  fawn, 
Over  the  craggy  mountains. 


CHAPTER  III. 

1.  On  my  couch,  in  the  night, 

I  seek  him  whom  my  soul  loveth, 

I  seek  him  but  find  him  not. 
2. 1  will  arise  now,  and  I  will  go  about  in  the  city; 

In  the  streets  and  in  the  public  squares, 

I  will  seek  him  whom  my  soul  loveth : 

I  seek  him  and  I  find  him  not. 

3.  The  watchmen  who  go  around  in  the  city  found  me; 
"Saw  ye  him  whom  my  soul  loveth?" 

4.  Hardly  had  I  passed  them, 

When  I  found  him  whom  my  soul  loveth. 
I  laid  hold  on  him  and  would  not  let  him  go, 
Till  I  had  brought  him  to  the  house  of  my  mother, 
Into  the  apartment  of  her  that  bore  me. 

5.  I  charge  you,  0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem, 
Ry  the  gazelles  and  by  the  hinds  of  the  field, 
That  ye  rouse  not  and  disturb  not 

My  love,  till  he  please. 

Daughters  of  Jerusalem. 

G.  Who  is  this  coming  up  from  the  wilderness, 
Like  pillars  of  smoke, 


TRANSLATION.  95 

Surrounded  with  the  perfume  of  myrrh,  and  frankin- 
cense, 
And  all  kinds  of  aromatic  dust  from  the  perfumer? 

7.  Lo,  it  is  the  palanquin  of  Solomon : 
Around  it  are  threescore  valiant  men, 
The  most  valiant  of  Israel ; 

8.  All  of  them  with  sword  in  hand,  experienced  in  war, 
Each  with  his  sword  girded  on,  against  peril  in  the  night. 

9.  A  palanquin  Solomon  the  king  made  for  himself 
Of  the  wood  of  Lebanon : 

10.  Its  pillars  he  made  of  silver, 

Its  railing  of  gold,  its  scat  purple, 

The  midst  of  it  being  tesselated  with  love, 

For  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem. 

11.  Go  forth,  ye  daughters  of  Zion, 
And  behold  king  Solomon, 

With  the  crown  with  which  his  mother  crowned  him 

On  the  day  of  his  espousals, 

On  the  day  of  gladness  of  his  heart. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Beloved. 


1.  Behold   thou   art   beautiful,  my  companion,  thou   art 

beautiful : 
Doves  are  thine  eyes  within  thy  locks ; 
Thy  hair  is  as  a  flock  of  goats 
Which  lie  along  downwards  from  mount  Gilead. 

2.  Thy  teeth  as  a  flock  of  the  same  size, 
Which  come  up  from  the  washing-pool, 
All  of  them  bearing  twins, 

And  none  of  them  without  its  young. 


96  TRANSLATION. 

3.  Thy  lips  are  like  a  thread  of  scarlet; 
And  thy  mouth  beautiful. 

Like  a  piece  of  pomegranate, 
Are  thy  cheeks  within  thy  tresses. 

4.  Thy  neck  is  like  the  tower  of  David 
Built  for  an  armory; 

A  thousand  shields  are  hanging  on  it, 
All  bucklers  of  the  mighty. 

5.  Thy  two  breasts  are  like  two  fawns, 
Twins  of  a  gazelle,  feeding  among  the  lilies. 

6.  Until  the  day  break  and  the  shadows  flee  away, 

I  will  betake  me  to  the  mountain  of  myrrh  and  to  the 
hill  of  frankincense. 

7.  Thou  art  all  beautiful,  my  companion; 
And  no  spot  is  there  in  thee. 

8.  Come  with  me  from  Lebanon,  my  spouse, 
With  me  from  Lebanon; 

Look  from  the  top  of  Amana, 

From  the  top  of  Shenir  and  Hermon, 

From  the  dens  of  lions,  from  the  mountains  of  leopards. 

9.  Thou  hast  ravished  my  heart,  my  sister-spouse, 
Thou  hast  ravished  my  heart  with  one  of  thine  eyes, 
With  one  fold  of  thy  necklace. 

10.  How  beautifully  delightful  is  thy  love,  my  sister-spouse; 
How  much  more  delicious  is  thy  love  than  wine, 

And  the  fragrance  of  thy  perfumes  than  all  spices. 

11.  Thy  lips  drop  as  the  honey-comb,  my  spouse : 
Honey  and  milk  are  under  thy  tongue; 

And  the  fragrance  of  thy  garments  is  as  the  fragrance 
of  Lebanon. 

12.  A  garden  enclosed  is  my  sister-spouse ; 
A  spring  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed. 

13.  Thy  productions  are  a  paradise  of  pomegranates, 
With  delicious  fruits,  cypresses  with  spikenards, 

11.  Spikenard  and  crocus,  calamus  and  cinnamon, 

With  all  trees  of  frankincense ; 

Myrrh  and  aloes  with  all  chief  spices ; 
15.  A  fountain  of  gardens,  a  well  of  living  waters, 

And  streams  from  Lebanon. 


TRANSLATION.  97 


Spouse. 

16.  Arise,  O  north  wind;  and  come  thou  south; 

Blow  upon  my  garden  that  its  perfumes  may  flow  forth. 
Let  my  beloved  come  into  his  garden, 
And  enjoy  its  delicious  fruits. 


CHAPTER  V. 


Beloved. 

1.  I  have  come  into  my  garden,  my  sister-spouse; 
I  am  gathering  my  myrrh  with  my  spice ; 

I  am  eating  my  honey-comb  with  my  honey; 
I  am  drinking  my  wine  with  my  milk : 
Eat,  O  friends,  drink, 
Yea,  beloved  companions,  drink  abundantly. 

Spouse. 

2.  I  was  sleeping,  but  my  heart  was  awake  : 
Hark !  the  voice  of  my  beloved !  he  is  knocking : 
"Open  to  me,  my  sister,  my  companion, 

My  dove,  my  perfect  one;* 

For  my  head  is  rilled  with  dew, — 

My  locks  with  drops  of  the  night." 
3. 1  have  put  off  my  dress, 

How  shall  I  put  it  on  ? 

I  have  washed  my  feet, 

How  shall  I  soil  them  ? 
4.  My  beloved  withdrew  his  hand  from  the  aperture  in  the 
door; 

And  my  heart  was  moved  towards  him. 

*  Equivalent  to  our  expression,  "My  angel." 
9* 


98  TRANSLATION. 

5.  I  arose  for  opening  to  my  beloved, 
And  my  hands  dropped  myrrh, 
And  my  fingers  liquid  myrrh, 

On  the  handles  of  the  bolt. 

6.  I  opened  to  my  beloved; 

But  my  beloved  had  turned  and  gone  away. 

My  heart  sunk  in  consequence  of  what  he  had  said : 

I  sought  him,  and  found  him  not : 

I  called  him,  and  he  answered  me  not. 

7.  The  watchmen  who  go  around  in  the  city  found  me, 
They  smote  me,  they  wounded  me; 

The  guards  of  the  walls  stripped  my  veil  from  me. 

8.  I  charge  you,  0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem, 
If  ye  shall  find  my  beloved — 

What  shall  ye  tell  him? 
That  I  am  sick  of  love. 

Daughters  of  Jerusalem. 

9.  What  is  thy  beloved  more  than  another  beloved, 
Thou  most  beautiful  of  women  ? 

What  is  thy  beloved  more  than  another  beloved, 
That  thou  dost  thus  charge  us? 

Spouse. 

10.  My  beloved  is  white  and  ruddy, 
Conspicuous  among  a  host. 

11.  His  head  is  finest  choice  gold; 

His  locks  young  waving  palm  branches,  black  as  the 
raven : 

12.  His  eyes  as  doves  by  valley  rills  of  water, 
Washed  in  milk,  reposing  by  the  full  water  springs : 

13.  His  cheeks  as  banks  of  fragrant  flowers, 

As  towering  trellises  covered  with  aromatic  blooms; 
His  lips  lilies  distilling  liquid  myrrh : 

14.  His  hands  rollers  of  gold,  set  with  the  beryl; 
His  body  wrought  ivory  overlaid  with  sapphires. 

15.  His  legs  pillars  of  white  marble 
Fixed  on  pedestals  of  fine  gold ; 


TRANSLATION.  99 

His  appearance  is  as  Lebanon, 
Pre-eminently  noble  as  the  cedars : 
16.  His  voice  is  exquisitely  sweet; 

His  whole  being  is  constituted  of  delightful  attractions : 
This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend, 
0  daughters  of  Jerusalem. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Daughters  of  Jerusalem. 

1.  Whither  has  thy  beloved  gone,  thou  most  beautiful  of 

women  ? 
Whither  has  thy  beloved  turned  away  ? 
Tell,  that  we  may  seek  him  with  thee. 

Spouse. 

2.  My  beloved  has  gone  down  to  his  garden, 
To  the  banks  of  fragrant  flowers, 

To  feed  in  the  gardens,  and  to  gather  lilies. 

3.  I  am  my  beloved's,  and  my  beloved  is  mine, 
Who  feeds  among  the  lilies. 

Beloved. 

4.  Beautiful  as  Tirzah  art  thou,  my  companion; 
Elegant  as  Jerusalem; 

Imposing  as  a  military  host  with  banners. 

5.  Turn  away  thine  eyes  from  me, 
For  they  are  taking  me  by  storm. 
Thy  hair  is  as  a  flock  of  goats 

Which  lie  along  downwards  from  mount  Gilead. 

6.  Thy  teeth  as  a  flock  of  sheep, 

Which  come  up  from  the  washing-pool, 


100  TRANSLATION. 

All  of  them  bearing  twins, 

And  none  of  them  without  its  young. 

7.  As  a  piece  of  pomegranate, 

Are  thy  cheeks  within  thy  tresses. 

8.  There  are  threescore  queens, 
And  fourscore  concubines, 
And  virgins  without  number : 

9.  My  dove,  my  perfect  one,  she  is  the  favourite; 
The  darling  is  she  of  her  mother, 

The  delight  of  her  who  bore  her. 

The  virgins  beheld  her,  and  called  her  blessed; 

The  queens  and  concubines  also  praised  her. 
10.  Who  is  this  that  looks  forth  as  the  dawn, 

Beautiful  as  the  moon,  of  purest  brightness  as  the  sun, 

Imposing  as  bannered  hosts? 
11. 1  went  down  to  the  fruit  garden, 

To  behold  the  green  growths  of  the  valley, 

To  see  whether  the  vine  was  putting  forth  buds, 

Whether  the  pomegranates  were  in  bloom : 

12.  E'er  I  was  aware,  my  soul  made  me 
As  the  chariots  of  Amminadib. 

13.  Return,  return,  0  Shulamith; 

Return,  return,  that  we  may  behold  in  thee, — 
What  shall  you  behold  in  the  Shulamith  ? 
As  it  were  a  festive  choir  of  rejoicing  hosts. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

1.  How  beautiful  are  thy  feet  in  sandals, 
O  noble  woman. 

The  contour  of  thy  person 

Is  like  the  rounding  of  a  necklace 

Wrought  by  the  hands  of  a  finished  artist ; 

2.  Thy  waist  is  a  round  goblet 
Full  of  the  rich  spiced  wine : 


TRANSLATION.  101 

Thy  body  is  a  heap  of  wheat 
Enclosed  with  lilies : 
Thy  two  breasts  as  two  fawns, 
Twins  of  a  gazelle. 

4.  Thy  neck  as  a  tower  of  ivory; 
Thine  eyes  pools  in  Heshbon, 
By  the  gate  of  Bath-rabbim; 
Thy  nose  as  a  tower  on  Lebanon, 
Looking  towards  Damascus. 

5.  Thy  head  crowning  thee  is  as  Carniel, 

And  the  full  flowing  hair  of  thy  head  rich  as  purple : 
The  king  is  captivated  by  the  tresses. 

6.  How  beautiful  and  how  charming, 

0  my  love,  art  thou  in  fascinating  graces. 

7.  Thy  stature  is  like  a  palm-tree; 
And  thy  breasts  to  its  clusters. 

8.  I  said  I  will  go  to  the  palm-tree; 

1  will  clasp  its  waving  branches; 

And  thy  bosom  shall  now  be  as  clusters  of  the  vine; 
And  thy  breath  sweet  as  citrons; 

9.  And  thy  voice  as  the  delicious  wine 
Which  flows  pure  to  my  best  loved  friend, 

Which  makes  the  lips  of  the  slumbering  move  gently. 

Spouse. 

10. 1  am  my  beloved's, 

And  his  ardent  affection  is  towards  me. 

11.  Come,  my  beloved,  let  us  go  forth  into  the  country; 
Let  us  abide  in  the  villages; 

12.  Let  us  be  early  in  the  morning  in  the  vineyards; 

Let  us  see  whether  the  vine  is  budding,  its  blossom  un- 
folding ; 
Whether  the  pomegranates  are  in  bloom : 
There  will  I  give  thee  my  loves. 

13.  The  choicest  flowers  are  giving  forth  their  fragrance, 
And  at  the  entrance  of  our  summer-houses  are  all  kinds 

of  delicious  fruits, 
Both  new  and  old,  which  I  have  treasured  up,  my  be- 
loved, fur  thee. 


102  TRANSLATION. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


1.  0  that  thou  wert  as  a  brother  to  me, 

Nourished  iu  the  bosom  of  my  mother ! 

Should  I  find  thee  abroad,  then  would  I  kiss  thee, 

Nor  should  it  be  imputed  to  me  as  an  impropriety. 
2. 1  would  lead  thee,  I  would  bring  thee  to  the  house  of 
my  mother; 

Thou  shalt  teach  me  how  to  gratify  thy  wishes; 

I  will  make  thee  drink  of  the  spiced  wine, 

Of  my  fresh  juice  of  the  pomegranate. 

3.  His  left  hand  shall  be  under  my  head, 
And  his  right  hand  shall  embrace  me. 

4.  I  charge  you,  0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem, 
That  ye  rouse  not  and  disturb  not 

My  love,  till  he  please. 

Daughters  op  Jerusalem. 

5.  Who  is  this  coming  up  from  the  wilderness, 
Leaning  on  the  beloved. 

Beloved. 

Under  the  citron  tree  I  gained  thine  affection; 

There  thy  mother  pledged  thee ; 

There  she  that  bore  thee  betrothed  thee. 

Spouse. 

6.  Set  me  as  a  seal  on  thine  heart ; 
As  a  seal  on  thine  arm  : 

For  love  is  strong  as  death ; 

Devoted  affection  is  unrelaxing  as  the  realms  of  the  dead : 

Its  flames  have  the  energy  of  lightning, 

Which  have  the  fiercest  blaze. 

7.  Many  waters  cannot  quench  love, 
And  floods  cannot  overwhelm  it: 

Should  a  man  give  all  the  wealth  of  his  house  for  this 

love, 
It  would  be  utterly  despised. 


TRANSLATION.  103 

8.  We  have  a  young  sister, 

And  she  has  not  yet  reached  womanhood  : 
What  shall  we  do  for  our  sister, 

With  reference  to  the  day  when  she  shall  be  spoken  for 
in  marriage? 

Beloved. 

9.  If  she  he  a  wall,  we  will  build  on  it  a  turret  of  silver; 
And  if  she  be  a  door,  we  will  enclose  it  with  boards  of 

cedar. 

Spouse. 

10.  I  am  a  wall  and  my  breasts  as  towers ; 
Then  am  I  in  his  eyes  as  one  finding  favour. 

11.  A  vineyard  has  Solomon  in  Baal-hainon; 
He  has  let  out  the  vineyard  to  keepers; 
Each  shall  yield  him  for  its  fruit 

A  thousand  pieces  of  silver. 

12.  My  vineyard  which  belongs  to  me,  is  under  my  own 

supervision ; 
Thou,  0  Solomon,  shalt  have  the  thousand  pieces  of 

silver  from  it; 
And  the  keepers  of  its  fruit  two  hundred. 

Beloved. 

13.  0  thou  who  dwellest  in  the  gardens, 
The  companions  hearken  to  thy  voice; 
Cause  me  to  hear  it. 

Spouse. 

14.  Make  haste,  my  beloved, 

And  be  thou  like  a  gazelle,  or  a  beauteous  fawn, 
Over  the  mountains  of  spices. 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  SONG. 


CHAPTER  I. 


The  desire  winch  in  the  heart  of  the  saint  ab- 
sorbs every  other,  is  for  the  manifestation  of  the 
love  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  through  the  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  and  this  love  is  thus  ardently  desired, 
because  its  effect  is  more  reviving  and  exhilarating 
than  any  of  the  pleasures  of  sense,  even  of  wine,  the 
most  refreshing  of  them  all.     Verse  2. 

This  desire  is  not  a  blind  instinct  or  a  fanatical 
impulse,  but  springs  from  an  intelligent  apprehen- 
sion of  the  excellency  of  the  nature  of  Christ,  as 
transcending  every  thing  known  to  man,  more  than 
the  holy  anointing  oil  of  the  sanctuary  surpassed  any 
other  perfume ; — an  excellence  so  rich,  that  the  pure 
in  heart,  and  they  only,  love  him,  and  they  cannot 
do  otherwise  than  love  him.     Ver.  3. 

The  thought  of  the  excellency  of  the  character  of 
Christ  and  of  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  shed- 
ding abroad  his  love  in  the  heart,  creates  the  desire 
of  coming  as  near  to  him  as  possible,  without  any  delay 
—of  running  to  him ;  and  as  our  own  insufficiency  and 
10 


106  ANALYSIS    OP     THE     SONG. 

weakness  are  felt  sensibly  at  such  times,  we  pray  for 
the  attracting  power  of  his  grace  and  for  the  strength 
of  his  Spirit.  This  desire  is  never  expressed  in  vain ; 
with  kingly  majesty  and  condescension,  he  brings  us 
into  confidential  communion  Avith  him  apart  from  the 
world;  this  communion  is  attended  with  fulness  of  joy 
and  a  holy  exultation  in  his  superior  grace ;  and  these 
manifestations  of  his  love  thus  made,  only  to  the 
upright  or  pure,  and  by  such  sincerely  appreciated, 
are  followed  by  remembrances,  not  painful,  like  the 
pleasures  of  sense,  but  always  refreshing  and  delight- 
ful.    Ver.  4. 

This  love  is  a  perfect  regulator  of  the  powers  of  the 
soul;  and  carrying  with  it  true  wisdom,  gives  us  a 
correct  knowledge  of  ourselves,  as  the  offspring  of  the 
humility  to  which  this  divine  love  leads,  and  which 
consists  in  thinking  of  ourselves  according  to  the 
whole  truth,  nothing  more,  nothing  less,  realizing  that 
while,  black  like  the  tents  of  Kedar,  we  are  darkened 
by  native  depravity,  grace  is  working  in  us  virtues 
more  beautiful  than  the  curtains  of  Solomon.    Ver.  5. 

The  humility  inseparable  from  this  love  makes  us 
modest  and  retiring,  and  prompts  us  to  shrink  from 
courting  admiration ;  because  we  are  conscious  of  un- 
wTorthiness ;  have  been  stripped  of  our  spiritual  beauty 
by  sin ;  have  suffered  many  evils  and  afflictions ;  have 
received  ill  treatment,  not  only  from  the  ungodly 
world,  but  from  brethren  of  the  same  household  of 
faith ;  and  have  failed  in  many  duties.     Ver.  6. 

This  love  so  captivates  the  heart  with  the  Lord 
Jesus,  while   keeping   it  thus  humble,  that  we   are 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE     SONG.  107 

anxious,  not  only  to  enjoy  his  society  in  the  blessed- 
ness of  private  communion,  his  chambers,  ver.  4;  but 
to  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth,  Rev.  xiv. 
4 ;  to  bo  with  him  in  labours,  fatigues,  and  dangers,  no 
less  than  in  the  delisrhts  of  his  service — in  the  weari- 
ness  of  toil  in  the  wilderness,  no  less  than  in  the 
pleasures  of  the  palace.  It  prompts  us  to  inquire 
and  seek,  without  waiting  for  commands,  where  we 
may  labour  with  this  gracious  king  as  a  shepherd, 
and  enjoy  his  society; — where,  in  the  discharge  of 
duty,  find  his  guidance  and  defence  during  the  noon- 
tide heat  of  temptation,  affliction,  and  sorrow;  and 
makes  us  unwilling  to  be  satisfied  with  any  inferior 
love,  or  the  company  and  teaching  of  any  but  Christ — 
unwilling  to  have  any  person  or  thing  coming  between 
us  and  Jesus.     Ver.  7. 

Such  inquiries  he  answers,  by  assuring  the  soul 
thus  humble  in  its  own  esteem,  that  while  conscious 
of  unworthiness,  and  misused  by  men,  we  are  held 
by  him  in  the  highest  admiration — "fairest  among 
women;" — and  that  he  may  be  always  found  by  our 
following  in  the  footsteps  of  those  who  through  faith 
and  patience  have  inherited  the  promises;  and  by 
activity  in  his  service,  by  ministering  to  the  saints, 
and  by  labouring  to  train  up  the  young  of  the  flock, 
"feed  the  kids,"  in  co-operation  with  the  ministers  of 
the  gospel — "beside  the  shepherds'  tents."     Ver.  8. 

Having  received  these  instructions,  and  going  forth 
to  carry  them  into  practice,  our  soul  is  viewed  with 
great  interest  by  the  Saviour,  in  our  approaches  to 
him.     Seeing  us,  as  it  were,  afar,  he  sets  forth,  by 


108  ANALYSIS    OF    THE    SONG. 

comparison  to  the  horse,  his  impression  of  that  char- 
acter which  is  so  despised  by  the  world.  In  reference 
to  its  inherent  vital  energy,  or  principle  imparted  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  it  is  a  character  noble,  adapted  to 
impress  us  with  respect  and  command  admiration — 
possesses  great  energy  and  vigour,  and  inexhaustible 
powers  of  endurance — running  without  growing  weary. 
Isa.  xl.  31.     Ver.  9. 

Moreover,  Jesus  looks  on  those  virtues  which  are 
superadded  as  ornaments  to  our  character  by  grace, 
with  a  pleasure  akin  to  what  we  feel  in  contemplating 
cheeks  comely  with  rows  of  jewels,  &c,  viz.  that 
golden  chain  with  the  pearls  "love,  joy,  peace,  meek- 
ness, &c."  Gal.  v.  22.     Ver.  10. 

The  principle  is,  "to  him  that  hath  shall  be  given," 
Matt.  xxv.  29;  and  though  so  beautiful  are  these 
ornamental  graces  now  overlaying  the  soul  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  Christ  will  add  unto  these,  others  wrought 
by  his  own  hands,  too  exquisite  to  be  made  even  by 
angels,  a  spiritual  body,  &c.  He  will  adorn  us  to  the 
utmost  possible  that  such  wisdom  and  power  as  his 
can  confer.     Ver.  11. 

Thus,  following  Jesus  in  the  way  of  duty,  under 
the  impulse  of  this  love,  we  are  received  by  him  with 
kingly  majesty,  and  as  beloved  friends,  are  enter- 
tained with  princely  magnificence  at  his  table,  spread 
with  delicacies  for  the  soul.  This  near  approach  to 
him,  combined  with  his  affectionate  tenderness  and 
great  goodness,  kindles  the  affections  into  a  fervid 
glow,  and  draws  from  us  the  fragrance  of  the  odorif- 
erous graces — the  spiritual  spikenard — poured  by  the 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    SONG.  109 

Holy  Ghost  into  the  alabaster  of  the  pure  heart.    Ver. 
12. 

At  such  times,  in  near  communion  with  Jesus,  and 
■with  the  affections  in  vigorous  exercise,  we  feel  our 
Lord  amazingly  precious.  If  asked,  How  precious  is 
your  Saviour  ?  Tell  me  the  impression  thus  made  on 
your  spiritual  apprehensions  ?  We  can  do  no  better 
than  reply,  Can  you  tell  what  is  the  sweet  and 
refreshing  influence  of  a  bundle  of  myrrh  in  the 
bosom,  or  of  a  cluster  of  camphire  in  bloom,  such  as 
is  in  the  vineyards  of  Engedi?  Ver.  14.  The  pres- 
ence of  Jesus  produces  an  impression  on  my  spiritual 
faculties,  far  more  delightful  than  the  effect  of  these 
perfumes  on  the  bodily  senses.     Ver.  13. 

Thus  received  by  this  friend  and  king,  our  be- 
loved, and  entertained  by  him,  at  the  table  of  his 
confidential  companions,  with  the  marrow  and  fat- 
ness of  his  grace — while,  under  these  manifestations 
of  love,  our  heart  is  burning  with  affection,  what  is 
the  nature  of  the  language  interchanged  between  him 
and  us? — "We  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us;" 
we  presume  to  address  to  him  the  language  of  affection, 
because  he  first  addresses  us.  He  speaks  to  us  in 
terms  of  the  strongest  and  most  tender  affection — as- 
sures us  that  whatever  may  be  thought  of  us  by  the 
world,  we  are  beautiful  in  his  eyes,  and  that  love  is  the 
expression  of  soul  which  draws  his  admiration.  Ver.  15. 

The   heart   is   glad   to    reciprocate   this    feeling; 

and  calling  him  our  beloved,  the  dearest  object  of  our 

affection,  we  rejoice  to  give  utterance  to  our  sense  of 

the  beauty  of  his  character,  and  the  pleasantness  of 

10* 


110  ANALYSIS    OF    THE    SONG. 

his  society — together  "with  the  delightfulncss  of  the 
repose  he  grants  to  those  whom  he  so  loves  as  thus  to 
address — a  peace  sweet  as  repose  on  a  bed  of  full 
blown  flowers  of  spring  amid  green  pastures  beside 
still  waters,  and  at  the  same  time,  while  open  to  all 
the  fresh  airs  and  balmy  influences  of  the  season,  pro- 
tected from  the  sun  by  day,  the  chill  dews  by  night, 
and  from  the  rain,  by  a  richly  wrought  ceiling  of 
cedar  and  cypress,  shadowing  forth  the  permanency 
and  excellence  of  the  defence  from  evil  afforded  by 
the  divine  righteousness  of  Christ,  in  a  manner 
stronger,  if  possible,  than  the  shadow  of  a  rock,  or 
than  the  pillar  of  cloud  and  of  fire  over  the  camp  of 
Israel.     Ver.  16. 


CHAPTER  II. 

In  verses  1 — 3,  the  spouse  sets  forth  by  beautiful 
comparisons,  the  character  of  herself  and  of  the 
beloved,  for  putting  before  us  the  contrast  between 
her  humility  and  loveliness,  and  his  majesty  and 
beauty.  The  believer  is  as  the  rose  of  Sharon  and 
the  lily  of  the  valleys; — Jesus  is  as  the  citron-tree 
among  all  other  trees.  The  rose  and  the  lily  illus- 
trate the  Christian  character,  as  possessing  purity, 
beauty,  loveliness;  as  being  like  the  lily  among 
thorns,  in  contrast  with  the  general  tone  of  charac- 
ter and  feeling  in  the  world.  The  words,  "As  the 
lily  among  thorns,  &c,"  ver.  2,  are  with  propriety 
put  into  the  mouth  of  Jesus,  as  a  suggestion  made 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    SONG.  Ill 

immediately  on  mention  of  the  features  represented 
in  ver.  1st,  for  reminding  us  that,  as  his  people,  our 
character  must  be  the  opposite  of  what  it  was  by 
nature,  and  of  what  yet  prevails  among  the  ungodly, 
— as  he  also  teaches  in  John  xvi.  33;  2  Tim.  iii.  12. 
He  says  that  between  earthly  loveliness  and  the 
loveliness  of  the  saint,  there  is  as  much  contrast 
as  between  the  lily  and  the  surrounding  thorns. 

While,  like  the  rose  and  the  lily,  the  believer— the 
same  who  was  seen  in  the  foregoing  chapter  admitted 
to  such  delightful  communion  with  the  king  at  his 
table — is  thus  meek  and  lowly,  beautiful  in  the 
modesty  of  humility; — Jesus  towers  on  high  in 
majesty  and  grandeur ;  the  citron-tree  is  his  emblem, 
and  illustrates  his  character  as  combining  majesty 
with  beauty,  as  affording  shelter  and  protection  to 
his  people,  as  capable  of  satisfying  the  wants  of  the 
soul.     Ver.  3. 

Such  being  the  characteristics  of  Jesus  and  of  the 
redeemed  soul,  the  coming  of  such  soul  into  fellow- 
ship with  him,  must  yield  it  great  pleasure.  Hence, 
when  we  come  under  the  shadow  of  Christ,  we  have 
great  delight,  and  find  food  for  the  hungering  heart; 
his  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness  and  all  his  paths 
are  peace.  Though  addressed  by  him  in  language 
of  such  endearment  and  equality,  and  permitted 
to  tell  him  our  love,  we  are  not  the  less  sensi- 
ble that  he  towers  above  us  in  the  majesty  of  his 
divinity,  far  more  than  the  citron-tree  above  the 
humble  rose;  that  this  majesty  is  our  protection; 
and  that  the  surpassing  greatness  of  our  joy  springs 


112  ANALYSIS    OF    THE    SONG. 

from  the  union  in  his  character  of  such  gracious  con- 
descension and  such  divine  grandeur. 

The  Lord  Jesus  leads  his  people  along  to  greater 
displays  of  the  riches  of  his  grace  and  of  holy  joy — 
as  pleasures  were  found  in  the  banqueting-house, 
richer  and  more  varied  than  under  the  apple-tree.  In 
chap,  i.,  ver.  4,  he  is  represented  as  bringing  us  into 
"his  chambers,"  the  place  of  his  intimate  friends; — 
in  chap.  i.  ver.  12,  as  feasting  us  at  his  table,  with  a 
repast  of  holy  joys;  here,  he  is  set  forth  as  bringing 
us  into  the  midst  of  means  for  securing  the  most 
abundant  exhilaration  and  gladness  of  heart,  where, 
like  a  person  in  the  king's  house  of  wine,  we  may  be 
abundantly  satisfied  with  the  fatness  of  his  house  and 
may  drink  of  the  river  of  his  pleasures.  The  fore- 
going passages  show  different  stages  of  spiritual 
enjoyment,  increasing  in  degree  till  they  are  the 
greatest  possible.     Ver.  4. 

In  all  these  manifestations  to  us,  his  banner  over 
us  is  love.  As  the  banner  rallies  for  the  defence  of 
even  the  weakest  citizen  all  the  strength  of  the  state 
— is  his  protection — so,  the  divine  love  is  our  de- 
fence against  all  evils,  and  secures  for  us  all  the  aid 
that  may  be  drawn  from  all  the  other  attributes  of 
God.  As  the  banner  shows  the  country  of  the  soldier, 
it  is  by  possessing  love  that  we  are  seen  to  be  citizens 
of  heaven.  As  the  soldier  exults  in  the  flag  of  his 
country,  the  saint  glories  in  the  consciousness  of 
the  divine  love,  and  in  having  love  shed  abroad  in  the 
heart. 

In  the  three  following  verses,  viz.    5,  G,  7,  is  a 


ANALYSIS     OF     THE     SONG.  113 

representation  of  the  state  of  the  believer,  when, 
thus  overshadowed  by  divine  love,  he  is  in  the  ban- 
queting-house,  in  the  full"  enjoyment  of  these  overflow- 
ing riches  of  heavenly  grace,  to  the  greatest  degree 
possible  for  man.  1.  The  state  of  the  soul  at  times 
of  the  greatest  spiritual  enjoyment,  "sick  of  love," 
ver.  5 — filled  with  communications  of  love  almost  be- 
yond its  power  to  bear.  2.  The  feelings  had  at  such 
seasons,  ver.  6;  great  contrition  and  humility — the 
head  was  sinking ;  the  consciousness  of  being  sweetly 
and  powerfully  sustained  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  through 
his  imputed  righteousness  and  by  his  inward  grace, 
"  His  left  hand  is  under  my  head;"  we  feel  ourselves 
drawn  very  near  to  Jesus,  "  His  right  hand  doth  em- 
brace me."  3.  The  desires  then  had,  are — to  be 
stayed  or  sustained  by  the  fruits  of  the  tree,  the  doc- 
trines and  promises  of  the  gospel,  "  Stay  me  with 
flagons,  comfort  me  with  apples,"  ver.  5,  and — to 
guard  against  any  thing  likely  to  make  our  beloved 
withdraw,  "  I  charge  you,  0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusa- 
lem, &c."  ver.  7. 

As  these  overpowering  manifestations  of  love  can- 
not be  expected  to  continue  without  interruption,  and 
Jesus  will  for  wise  purposes  withdraw  from  the  soul, 
in  verses  8  and  9  is  set  forth  the  way  in  which  he  re- 
turns and  manifests  himself  after  such  withdrawal. 
In  his  approach,  he  makes  us.  hear  his  $voice,  even 
when  afar  off,  ver.  8.  "  The  voice  of  my  beloved,  &c." 
He  comes  with  perfect  ease,  over  all  obstacles  inter- 
vening in  consequence  of  sin,  ver.  8 ;  he  comes  unex- 
pectedly, often  surprising  us  by  his  grace,  when  we 


114  ANALYSIS     OP     THE     SONG. 

are  looking  not  for  it.  Having  thus  returned,  he 
cannot  be  enjoyed  by  us  without  much  to  hinder  the 
full  manifestations  of  his  excellence  and  glory.  Walls 
yet  intervene  between  us  and  him ;  he  is  very  near  to 
us,  but  the  vision  of  his  glory  is  obscured,  and  the 
sound  of  his  voice  deadened  by  the  barriers  behind 
which  he  stands,  the  walls  of  the  dungeon  in  which  we 
are  now  confined,  the  walls  of  our  earthly  house  of 
this  tabernacle,  of  our  present  mortal  state,  ver.  8. 
At  the  utmost,  we  can  now  get  nothing  more  than 
very  partial  glimpses  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  such  as 
may  be  had  of  a  person  showing  himself  through  the 
obscurity  of  a  lattice.     Ver.  9. 

While  in  our  present  state,  we  are  thus  in  the  con- 
dition of  persons  in  a  dungeon  with  the  doors  thrown 
open,  like  Peter's,  Acts  xii.  7,  and  Jesus  is  standing 
without,  in  the  invisible  world,  looking  on  us  kindly 
through  the  lattice,  and  addressing  us  through  the 
bars ;  he  tries  to  allure  us  away  from  our  darkness, 
loathsomeness,  and  chains,  abroad  into  that  bright  and 
glorious  world  where  he  has  gone  to  prepare  a  place 
for  us — saying,  "  Rise  up,  my  love,  my  fair  one,  and 
come  away,  &c."  He  addresses  us  in  language  of  the 
tenderest  love — "  My  love,  my  fair  one."  Loving  us 
so  strongly,  he  is  even  more  desirous  to  have  us  with 
him  where  he  is  in  glory,  than  we  can  be  to  depart 
and  be  with  him.  As  motives  for  alluring  us  away 
from  earth  to  heaven,  he  says  that  in  the  world  to 
which  he  "v&ould  draw  us — "the  winter  is  past;" 
there  the  curse,  which  has  fallen  so  heavily  even  on 
the  ground  as  to  cause  the  desolations  of  winter,  is 


ANALYSIS     OP     THE     SONG.  115 

for  ever  done  away — all  is  fresh  and  uninterrupted 
spring.  "The  rain  is  over  and  gone;"  afflictions  and 
sorrows,  all  the  former  things  are  passed  away.  "  The 
flowers  appear  on  the  earth;"  every  thing  is  there 
budding  and  bursting  with  beauty.  "  The  time  of 
the  singing  of  birds  is  come;"  there,  all  is  vocal  with 
enchanting  melody,  and  even  the  inanimate  creation 
are  joining  in  the  chorus.  "And  the  voice  of  the 
turtle  is  heard  in  our  land;"  the  burden  of  that  music 
is  love.  "  The  fig-tree  putteth  forth  her  green  figs  ;" 
there,  every  thing  is  found  that  can  gratify  our  capa- 
bilities of  enjoyment.  Hence,  he  says,  "  Come  away" 
from  the  sin  and  sorrows,  &c.  &c.  of  earth,  come  away 
to  the  skies,  &c.     Ver.  10 — 13. 

The  saint  who  is  thus  loved  and  allured  by  the  Lord 
Jesus,  is  often  found  in  the  rough,  afflictive  scenes  of 
this  life,  and  in  seclusion  from  the  world,  "  in  the 
clefts  of  the  rock ;"  but  he  encourages  us  not  to  be  dis- 
heartened by  a  sense  of  unworthiness,  or  cast  down 
by  sorrow,  for  the  voice  of  such  persons,  however 
broken  by  contrition,  is  sweet  to  him,  and  their  coun- 
tenance, though  marked  with  tears  of  penitence,  is 
pleasant  in  his  sight.     Yer.  14. 

Those  who  would  be  pleasant  to  Jesus,  and  enjoy 
frequent  visits,  such  as  mentioned  in  the  foregoing 
verses,  viz.  8 — 13,  must  be  careful  to  guard  against 
sin,  and  especially  little  sins;  "the  little  foxes"  will 
spoil  the  vines  with  tender  grapes.     Ver.  15. 

Those  who  thus  watch,  and  act,  and  love — who  en- 
joy these  manifestations  of  the  beloved — may  use  the 
language  of  full  assurance,  and  feel  the  amazing  rich- 


116  ANALYSIS     OF     THE     SONG. 

ness  of  the  inheritance  they  have  in  Jesus.  1  Cor.  iii. 
22 — 23;  John  xvii.  10.  The  friendship  and  union 
existing  between  Jesus  and  his  people,  is  of  the  most 
intimate  and  confidential  kind;  and  as  the  feeding- 
place  of  the  young  hart  is  the  place  of  his  strongest 
desire,  and  though  he  may  withdraw  for  a  time  from 
his  pasture  grounds,  to  them  he  must  return ;  so,  Jesus 
loves  the  dwelling-place  among  his  saints,  Ps.  lxxvii. 
2 ;  Ixxviii.  68 ;  and  though  he  seems  to  withdraw  at 
seasons,  he  will  not  forsake  us  utterly,  but  will  come 
back  in  his  own  good  time,  and  make  his  abode  with 
us.     Ver.  16. 

As  these  delightful  visits  of  the  beloved,  the  times 
when  he  comes  over  the  hills  and  feeds  among  the 
lilies,  must  be  interrupted,  the  saint  here  prays  that 
he  would  repeat  them  as  often  as  possible,  until  the 
day  of  eternal  blessedness  break,  and  the  shadows 
now  closing  around  us,  for  ever  flee  away.     Ver.  17. 

CHAPTER  III. 

This  chapter  consists  of  two  parts,  verses  1 — 5,  show- 
ing the  earnestness  with  which  the  believing  soul 
seeks  its  absent  Lord;  and  verses  6 — 11,  illustrating 
the  magnificence  of  the  mode  in  which  the  saint  is 
carried  onward  to  glory. 

The  first  verse,  together  with  those  following  to  the 
fifth,  is  connected  with  the  last  verse  of  the  foregoing 
chapter.  The  prayer  there  offered  for  the  repetition, 
as  often  as  possible,  of  those  precious  interviews  with 
Jesus,  during  the  dark  and  lonely  scenes  of  this  life, 


ANALYSIS     OP     THE     SONG.  117 

is  a  prayer  which  prompts  to  activity  in  seeking  him. 
This  activity  springs  from  a  vehement  desire  kindled 
in  the  heart  by  our  experience  of  the  excellence  of 
our  Lord.  Having  been  overpowered  with  his  loveli- 
ness, and  feeling,  by  his  withdrawal,  how  precious  his 
presence  and  how  great  the  loss  sustained  by  his  ab- 
sence, we  have  longings  so  intense  for  him  as  to  be 
unsatisfied  with  earnest  prayers ;  as  to  rise  above  and 
keep  down  the  strongest  cravings  of  our  bodily  na- 
ture. Nothing  is  more  importunate  and  necessary 
than  sleep ;  but  the  hungering  and  thirsting  for  right- 
eousness, felt  when  the  manifestations  of  Jesus  are 
withheld,  are  stronger  than  the  claims  of  even  sleep, 
and  cause  us  to  seek  him  on  our  bed,  during  hours 
belonging  to  repose. 

But  it  does  not  stop  in  desires,  however  intense. 
It  incites  to  exertion  for  coming  to  him,  though  by 
great  efforts  and  self-denial,  making  us  even  leave  our 
bed  and  go  out  amid  the  chill  dews  and  dangers  of  the 
night.     Ver.  2. 

Animated  by  the  fervent  emotion  which  makes  us 
feel  Jesus  to  be  him  whom  our  soul  loveth,  we  avail 
ourselves  of  every  aid  in  finding  our  Lord,  and  inquire 
especially  of  those  appointed  as  watchmen  in  Zion, 
the  ministers  of  the  word,  concerning  our  spiritual 
state,  and  the  means  of  being  restored  to  the  joy  of 
his  salvation.     Ver.  3. 

Under  these  circumstances,  the  promise  is  fulfilled, 
"  They  that  seek  shall  find  ;"  and  efforts  showing  such 
earnestness  and  sincerity  of  purpose,  are  rewarded  by 
the  return  of  Jesus  to  our  longing  hearts.     Ver.  4. 
11 


118  ANALYSIS     OF     THE     SO  NO. 

Having  found  him,  we  are  anxious  to  enjoy  the 
blessedness  of  his  society,  where  there  can  be  no  re- 
straint, and  we  may  commune  with  him  in  secret,  of  all 
that  is  in  our  heart;  we  desire  to  be  alone  with  Jesus, 
and  the  influences  of  his  Spirit  are  laid  hold  of  with 
the  greatest  eagerness. 

The  desire  before  expressed,  is  again  felt,  to  avoid 
every  thing  at  all  likely  to  make  him  withdraw  from 
us.     Ver.  5. 

These  manifestations  of  the  loveliness  of  Christ  on 
earth,  lead  to  the  glorious  displays  of  his  love  in  hea- 
ven; and  our  finding  him,  as  just  noticed,  is  the  pre- 
paratory step  to  finding  him  in  the  splendour  of  his 
throne  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  She  who  was  allured 
by  the  motives  in  chap.  ii.  10 — 13,  to  arise  and  come 
away,  having  embraced  the  invitation,  finds  on  coming 
out  from  the  walls  of  her  dungeon,  the  royal  palanquin 
waiting  for  her,  under  escort  of  a  powerful  guard;  and 
the  angels  who  desire  to  look  into  these  things,  view 
with  admiration  this  imposing  procession,  as  coming 
up  from  the  wilderness  lying  between  this  world  and 
heaven,  the  cortege  is  overshadowed  by  the  reality 
represented  in  the  pillar  of  cloud  and  of  fire,  by  the 
cloud  and  smoke  by  day,  and  the  shining  of  a  flaming 
fire  by  night;  while  around  is  ascending  the  perfume 
of  those  odoriferous  graces  which  are  fed  by  the  oil  of 
gladness,  and  kindled  by  the  flame  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
In  this  manner,  is  the  soul  of  him  who  is  so  humble  in 
his  own  eyes,  and  neglected  by  the  world,  carried  by 
the  angels  to  Jesus'  bosom.     Luke  xvi.  22. 

In  this  progress  to  glory,  the  soul  is  overshadowed 


ANALYSIS     OF     THE     SONG.  119 

by  the  glorious  covering  or  protection  of  the  divine 
nature  of  Christ,  our  righteousness,  like  pillars  of 
smoke  or  cloud,  breaking  the  force  of  the  rays  of 
divine  justice,  and  surrounded  by  the  incense  of 
prayer  and  all  other  graces,  more  pleasing  than  the 
perfumes  burned  in  golden  censers  around  the  eastern 
bride.     Ver.  6. 

The  soul  is  resting  in  a  palanquin  guarded  by  the 
angels  who  minister  to  the  heirs  of  salvation;  and 
who,  in  consequence  of  the  dangers  besetting  us,  are 
fully  armed,  and  competent  for  every  emergency. 
Ps.  xxxiv.  7.     Ver.  7,  8. 

This  conveyance  is  one  of  royal  magnificence, 
belonging  to  Jesus,  and  made  by  the  hands  of  him 
who  did  by  himself  purge  our  sins.  Heb.  i.  3.    Ver.  9. 

It  has  been  built  of  the  most  precious  and  costly 
materials  imaginable;  materials  so  costly  as  to  be 
obtainable  not  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and 
gold,  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ.  The 
conveyance  in  which  we  are  borne  onward  to  heaven, 
is  so  rich  and  precious  that  the  lining  of  it  is  love ; 
and  however  heavy  the  storms  and  rough  the  scenes 
around  us,  we  are  in  a  litter,  or  portable  pavilion, 
where  the  soul  is  o'ercanopied  with  love,  where  it  is 
reclining  on  love,  where  the  head  is  pillowed  on  love, 
and  where  every  thing  its  eyes  rest  on,  is  curiously 
wrought  with  the  emblems  of  love.     Ver.  10. 

The  meeting  of  Jesus  with  a  redeemed  soul  clothed 
upon  with  a  spiritual  body,  in  the  last  day,  at  our 
entrance  into  heaven,  is  represented  as  the  day  of 
our  espousals  with  him.     He  is  waiting  to  receive  us, 


120  ANALYSIS     OF     THE     SONG. 

in  his  kingly  robes  and  crowned  with  many  crowns; 
and  those  who  have  been  on  earth  "a  spectacle  unto 
the  world,  and  to  angels,  and  to  men,"  1  Cor.  iv.  9, 
shall  then  be  viewed  with  admiration  by  all  the  holy 
angels  and  heavenly  host.     Ver.  11. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

In  this  chapter,  with  verse  1  of  chap,  v.,  we  have, 

1.  The  estimation  of  the  beauty  of  holiness  in  the 
saint,  as  it  appears  in  the  eyes  of  Jesus.  Ver.  1 — 5. 

2.  His  gracious  designation  of  a  place  where  he 
wishes  such  souls  to  meet  with  him  even  now,  until 
the  day  of  glory  in  heaven  cause  our  shades  to  flee 
away.  Ver.  6.  3.  The  reasons,  nine  in  number,  given 
by  him  for  alluring  us  to  meet  with  him  where  he  has 
appointed.  Ver.  7 — 15.  4.  The  effect  of  these  truths 
and  reasons  on  the  heart,  to  make  us  seek  in  prayer 
those  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  alone  can 
prepare  the  soul  for  these  meetings  with  our  Lord. 
Ver.  16.  5.  The  consecpience  of  thus  hearkening  to 
his  voice  and  seeking  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  that  Jesus 
comes  into  our  souls,  and,  by  his  presence  sensibly 
felt,  manifests  his  acceptance  of  us,  and  Ayith  the 
light  of  his  smiles,  fosters  our  pious  virtues,  chap.  v. 
1; — while  the  angels  who  rejoice  over  the  soul  first 
repenting,  gather  around  it  with  no  less  joy,  when 
our  Lord  comes  again  to  visit  and  revive  his  garden. 

The  soul  thus  on  the  road  to  this  glorious  destiny, 
is  humbled  with  the  growing  sense  of  its  unworthiness, 
and  feels  more  deeply  that  in  our  flesh  dwells  no  good 


ANALYSIS     OF    THE     SONG.  121 

thing — sees  nothing  in  us  that  we  can  suppose  Jesus 
will  love.  The  growing  conviction  of  our  sinfulness, 
attending  growth  in  grace,  would  create  despondency, 
did  not  our  Lord  give  us  assurances  of  his  esteem ; 
and  those  who  arc  thus  humble  may  be  safely  en- 
trusted with  these  assurances,  without  danger  of 
being  exalted  above  measure.  We  must  observe  how 
much  of  this  book,  especially  henceforward,  is  occu- 
pied with  these  expressions  of  Jesus'  love  to  the  saint, 
and  how  small,  in  comparison,  the  space  given,  viz. 
chap.  v.  9 — 16,  to  our  expressions  of  the  beauty  of 
Christ. 

The  proper  meaning  of  the  words  in  verses  1 — 5, 
and  indeed  of  the  subsequent  addresses  of  the  same 
kind,  must  be  got  by  gathering  together  all  the  dif- 
ferent impressions  of  beauty  felt  when  we  gaze  on  the 
eyes  of  doves,  the  flock  of  goats  feeding  on  mount 
Gilead,  the  flock  of  sheep  coming  up  from  the  wash- 
ing, the  thread  of  scarlet,  the  tower  of  David,  covered 
with  its  thousand  shields,  the  two  young  roes  feeding 
among  the  lilies ;  each  one  of  these  separately,  is 
viewed  with  great  pleasure,  but  when  we  sum  up  the 
feelings  of  satisfaction  had  in  contemplating  them  all 
unitedly,  then  may  we  have  a  representation  of  the 
delight  with  which  Jesus  dwells  on  the  soul  of  the 
believer  in  process  of  sanctification. 

While  in  this  world,  and  in  preparation  for  the  day  of 
our  espousals,  we  are  not  cut  off  from  communication 
with  Jesus.  His  love  makes  him  wish  to  have  us  with 
him  even  now,  though  it  must  be  in  a  different  way 
from  that  in  which  we  shall  be  with  him  hereafter. 
11* 


122  ANALYSIS     OF     THE     SONG. 

In  this  world,  he  comes  and  manifests  himself  to  us. 
John  xiv.  21,  23. 

He  has  appointed  a  place  for  such  interviews, 
where  he  may  always  be  found.  He  appointed  the 
mountain  of  the  Lord's  house  of  old,  where  the 
Shechinah  dwelt,  as  the  place  where  he  would  meet 
with  his  people,  and  dwell  among  them,  and  commune 
with  them,  obscurely  indeed,  but  really; — the  place 
where  he  has  now  recorded  his  name  to  dwell  there, 
is  the  mountain  of  myrrh  and  the  hill  of  frankincense; 
the  hill  where  the  mercy-seat  is  established ;  where 
the  cloud  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  influences  abides  in 
dews  richer  and  more  refreshing  than  the  dews  on  the 
mountains  of  spices.     Ver.  6. 

That  we  may  have  no  hesitation  in  coming  to  meet 
him  on  the  hill  of  frankincense,  till  the  day  break 
and  the  shadows  flee  away,  he  gives  us  eight  reasons 
for  our  encouragement: 

1.  Thou  art  to  me  all  beautiful,  without  spot  or 
any  such  blemish.  Eph.  v.  27.     Ver.  7. 

2.  Here  only  canst  thou  be  safe;  the  choicest  spots 
of  this  world,  though  beautiful  as  the  top  of  Amana, 
or  Shcnir,  or  Hermon,  or  that  goodly  mountain,  even 
Lebanon,  are  full  of  peril — lions'  dens  and  leopards ; 
therefore  come  away  with  me  from  all  these,  however 
inviting;  come  away  to  the  mount  where  I  meet  with 
my  loved  ones,  under  the  bright  cloud  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  dropping  on  their  souls  the  myrrh  and  frank- 
incense of  the  heavenly  world.     Ver.  8. 

3.  Come  away  with  me  to  this  mount;  because  my 
heart  is  enraptured — is  taken  away — with  only  the 


ANALYSIS     OF    THE     SONG.  123 

partial  development  of  thy  loveliness  that  as  yet  ap- 
pears; with  one  of  thine  eyes  unveiled  to  me,  with  one 
chain  of  thy  neck :  thy  graces  are  not  yet  perfected, 
sanctification  is  not  yet  completed,  nor  thy  spiritual 
body  prepared ;  but  even  the  little  now  seen  in  thee 
of  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed,  enraptures  my 
heart.     Ver.  9. 

4.  He  wishes  us  with  him  there,  because  our  love, 
wrought  by  the  Spirit,  is  beautiful  in  his  eyes ;  this 
is  what  is  especially  delightful  to  him,  and  in  the  ab- 
sence of  any  other  excellence,  commends  us;  and  this 
love  is  more  pleasing  to  him  than  wine  to  our  taste. 
Not  only  is  the  affection  of  love  thus  grateful  to  him, 
but  equally  so  are  all  those  graces  of  the  heart  which 
are  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  Gal.  v.  22 — 23 ;  Eph.  v.  9, 
and  are  the  perfume  of  the  soul — better  even  than 
the  holy  oil  shed  over  the  head  of  Aaron.     Ver.  10. 

5.  The  language  of  the  heart  thus  filled  with  love 
as  the  consequence  of  being  anointed  with  our  glorious 
Head,  with  the  oil  of  gladness — distils  in  accents  as 
pleasant  to  him  as  drops  of  the  honey-comb  to  our 
tongues.  He  sees  within  the  heart  a  fountain  of  this 
loveliness,  not  soon  exhausted,  because  springing 
from  a  source  no  deeper  than  the  lips,  but  springing 
up  into  everlasting  life — "honey  and  milk  are  under 
thy  tongue."     Ver.  11. 

6.  The  presence  of  the  saint  is  altogether  pleasant 
to  our  Lord,  as  much  so  as  the  fragrance  of  Lebanon 
to  us.     Ver.  11. 

7.  For  showing  why  he  wishes  us  to  come  away 
with  him,  he  states  that  his  delight  in  the  soul  of  the 


124  ANYLYSIS     OF    THE    SONG. 

believer  is  as  great  and  pleasing  as  what  is  felt  by 
us  in  enjoying  the  most  beautiful  garden.  Verses  12 
—15. 

This  garden  is  enclosed,  abounds  in  all  pleasant 
fruits,  is  full  of  trees  of  frankincense  and  all  the  chief 
spices,  and  is  watered,  not  only  from  an  unfailing 
spring  in  its  midst,  but  also  with  cool,  refreshing 
streams  from  the  snowy  tops  of  Lebanon.  Thus  pre- 
cious in  the  eyes  of  our  Lord  is  the  soul  which  Jeho- 
vah has  set  apart  for  himself,  Ps.  iv.  3 ;  which  yields 
the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteousness ;  which  sends  up 
its  desires  as  incense;  which  enjoys  those  copious 
streams  issuing  from  the  fountain  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
within  the  heart,  and  coming  with  the  refreshing  in- 
fluence of  waters  from  a  more  glorious  than  Lebanon 
in  the  skies. 

The  effect  of  such  impressions  of  Jesus'  love,  cre- 
ates the  desire  that  he  may  come  into  our  hearts  and 
make  his  abode  with  us;  that  he  may  sup  with  us, 
and  we  with  him.  Rev.  iii.  20.  We  wish,  however, 
to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  therefore  address 
ourselves  to  prayer  for  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  revive  our  graces;  "Awake,  0  north  wind  ! 
and  come,  thou  south,"  &c.  Then,  when  the  soul  has 
been  thus  prepared  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  rejoice  in 
finding  Jesus  coming  into  our  hearts  and  enjoying  the 
pleasant  fruits  of  our  sanctified  graces.     Ver.  1G. 

8.  And  if  we  thus  come  to  him  with  preparation  of 
heart,  he  will  come  down  into  our  souls  by  his  Spirit, 
and  spread  around  us  a  host  of  angels  rejoicing  to  be 
our  guard.  Chap.  v.  1.  Prayers  thus  offered  under 
the  intercession  of  the  Spirit,  are  answered  without 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE     SONG.  125 

delay,  by  Jesus  coming  and  dwelling  in  our  hearts, 
Eph.  iii.  17 ;  ii.  22,  and  manifesting  his  acceptance  of 
our  services  and  graces ;  the  great  acceptableness  of 
•which  to  him  is  illustrated  by  the  combination  of 
gratifications  had  in  a  pleasant  garden,  where  we  are 
regaled  with  pleasant  odours,  beautiful  scenes  and 
flowers,  and  delightful  fruits.  Nor  does  Jesus  enjoy 
these  by  himself.  He  who  is  anointed  with  the  oil  of 
gladness  above  his  fellows,  desires  those  associates — 
anxious  as  they  are  to  look  into  the  mysteries  of  re- 
demption— to  come  and  enjoy  with  him  the  beauties 
and  delights  of  this  new  creation,  over  which,  while 
he  rejoices  as  a  bridegroom  over  his  bride,  they,  the 
sons  of  God,  may  sing  together  and  shout  for  joy. 

CHAPTER  V. 

In  chapters  v.  vi.  and  vii.  we  have  1.  The  effect  of 
sluggishness  and  indifference  when  the  Lord  Jesus 
draws  near  to  the  soul ;  viz.  the  loss  of  his  presence 
and  favour:  ver.  2 — 6.  2.  The  anxiety,  labour,  and 
trouble  to  which  this  neglect  gives  rise,  in  our  efforts 
for  seeking  him:  ver.  7,  8.  3.  The  answers  given 
to  the  questions  put  by  those  who  witness  our  anxiety 
and  sorrow  at  such  times — viz.  What  is  the  charac- 
ter of  him  who  is  so  anxiously  sought?  ver.  9,  and, 
Where  has  he  gone,  where  may  he  be  found?  chap, 
vi.  1.  4.  The  willingness  of  Jesus,  even  when  he 
has  been  forced  from  us  by  our  own  sins,  to  receive 
his  people  who  seek  him  in  sincerity  and  truth,  as 
shown  by  the  address  of  the  beloved  to  the  spouse, 


126  ANALYSIS     OF     THE     SONG- 

chap.  vi.  4;  vii.  0.  5.  The  feelings  towards  our 
Lord  by  the  soul  thus  kindly  received  into  his  love, 
expressed  in  the  wish  to  enjoy  retirement  with  him, 
and  to  offer  him  our  best  gifts,  chap.  vii.  10 — 13  and 
to  the  end  of  chap.  viii. 

After  the  most  glorious  displays  to  us  of  the  love 
of  Jesus,  Ave  may  soon  sink  into  indifference,  en- 
tangled and  overcome  through  weakness  of  the  flesh, 
Matt.  xxvi.  41,  by  the  necessary  duties  of  life  run- 
ning out  into  temptations;  our  perceptions  being  al- 
lowed to  close  against  these  manifestations  of  grace, 
through  our  own  apatlry  and  sluggishness.  But  while 
at  such  time,  the  flesh  may  be  weak,  the  spirit  re- 
mains willing — we  sleep  but  our  heart  waketh ;  though 
there  is  a  law  in  our  members,  warring  against  the 
law  of  our  mind  and  bringing  us  into  captivity  to  the 
law  of  sin,  we  do  yet  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after 
the  inward  man,  Rom.  vii.  22 :  though  the  outward 
evidences  of  love  to  Christ  have  very  much  disappear- 
ed under  the  pressure  of  spiritual  sloth  and  decay, 
grace  is  still  in  the  heart  with  its  glimmerings;  the 
heart  is  awake,  but  not  in  sufficient  strength  to  coun- 
teract the  pressure  of  carnality  and  control  the  doings 
of  the  body.  So  far  from  fulfilling  his  wishes  and 
coming  away  from  Lebanon,  &c,  chap.  iv.  8,  to  the 
mountain  of  myrrh,  there  to  meet  with  him,  we  pre- 
fer the  indulgence  of  our  fleshly,  carnal  inclinations — 
sleep — to  all  the  attractions  of  his  loveliness  and 
society.     Ver.  2. 

But  so  strong  is  his  love,  that  when  he  does  not 
find  us  meeting  him  at  the  appointed  place,  he  gra- 


ANALYSIS    OF    TIIE    SONG.  1£7 

ciously  comes  to  seek  us,  even  in  our  sloth,  and  tries 
to  allure  us  away,  by  considerations  the  most  endear- 
ing and  affecting:  "Open  to  me,  &c."  Rev.  iii.  20. 
Unmoved  by  these,  we  content  ourselves  in  our  apa- 
thy, by  excuses  the  most  frivolous.  The  love  of  our 
Lord  does  then  prompt  him  to  go  further  than  en- 
treaty, to  use  exertions,  for  finding  his  way  into  our 
heart:  "My  beloved,  &c."      Ver.  4. 

At  length,  moved  by  his  tender  addresses  to  us, 
and  by  the  measures  of  mercy  used  by  him  for  re- 
viving our  love,  the  affections  begin  to  move,  and  we 
arise  to  meet  him.  Instead,  however,  of  running  at 
once  to  meet  him,  and  opening  our  soul  to  him,  just 
as  it  is,  we  delay  in  order  to  prepare  ourselves  to 
see  him;  and  the  consequence  of  this  delay  is,  that 
although  we  bring  with  us  the  best  of  our  acts  and 
endeavours,  our  hands  dropping  with  myrrh,  &c,  he 
is  gone.  Nothing  of  our  own,  however  costly,  as  duty 
and  self-denial,  and  mortification,  can  excuse  us  for 
hesitating  to  rush  into  his  arms;  and  as  many  a  re- 
penting sinner  loses  all  interest  in  him,  and  also  the 
soul,  by  delaying  in  order  to  make  himself  fit  to  come, 
so  does  many  a  saint  often  lose  precious  interviews 
with  the  Lord.     Ver.  5 — 6. 

Her  soul  had  been  deeply  moved  under  the  lan- 
guage of  the  beloved  standing  at  the  door;  and  thus 
moved,  does  now  impel  her  to  seek  him.  While  the 
withdrawals  of  Jesus  are  a  just  recompense  for  our 
sluggishness,  they  give  occasion  for  calling  into  exer- 
cise our  love,  and  for  showing  its  strength.  What 
was  lost  by  indifference,  can  now  be  got  only  by  great 


128  ANALYSIS     OF     THE     SONG. 

exertion ;  we  seek  him ;  we  call  on  him  without  re- 
ceiving an  answer;  we  have  to  suffer  reproach  and  ill- 
treatment  from  the  watchmen  of  Zion,  who,  instead  of 
helping  us  in  our  zeal,  view  our  love  and  devotion  as 
fanaticism,  and  both  misuse  and  expose  us  to  shame; 
"Took  away  my  vail,  &c."  The  sympathy  that  is 
often  denied  to  the  devoted  heart  by  those  high  in 
office  in  the  Church,  may  be  found  among  our  pious 
equals;  and  seeking  an  interest  in  their  prayers,  Eph. 
vi.  19 ;  2  Thess.  iii.  1,  we  entreat  their  aid,  serving, 
seeking,  and  following  our  Lord.     Ver.  7 — 8. 

This  earnestness  and  zeal  is  not  without  its  effect 
on  others  before  whom  the  light  of  the  believer  is 
thus  made  to  shine.  Seeing  the  manifestations  in 
various  ways,  of  such  intense  love  to  Christ,  a  love 
that  will  be  satisfied  with  nothing  short  of  himself, 
and  which  is  willing,  for  the  enjoyment  of  his  pre- 
sence, to  incur  any  self-denial  and  any  humiliation, 
they  naturally  inquire,  What  there  is  in  Christ  above 
others,  that  so  strongly  affects  us?  The  illustration 
or  setting  forth  of  his  beauty,  that  follows  in  verses 
10 — 16,  is  unequalled  for  beauty  and  richness.  It  is 
the  Holy  Spirit,  by  the  mouth  of  an  inspired  saint, 
illustrating  the  beauty  of  Christ  by  language,  through 
the  same  means  used  in  creation,  drawn  from  the 
beauties  of  the  world.  The  most  fine  gold,  the  raven's 
blackness,  the  eyes  of  doves,  the  beds  of  spices,  the 
lilies  dropping  sweet-smelling  myrrh,  &c. ;  all  these, 
as  works  of  Christ,  show  his  excellence.  But  when 
we  would  understand  the  loveliness  of  that  'human 
person  through  which  the  Son  of  God,  the  eternal 


ANALYSIS     OF     THE     SONG.  129 

Creator,  manifests  himself  as  our  Redeemer,  these 
separate  clusters,  radiant  with  his  glory,  and  scattered 
at  large  in  his  works,  must  be  gathered  into  a  form  of 
the  man  Christ  Jesus ;  and  we  are  told  that,  just  as 
beautiful  as  a  person  must  be,  whose  appearance  would 
impress  us  with  all  the  ideas  of  loveliness  got  from  the 
most  fine  gold,  the  beds  of  spices,  the  majesty  of  Le- 
banon, &c.  &c. ;  so  beautiful  is  Christ.  Yes,  though 
even  in  a  case  like  this,  there  would  still  be  some- 
thing wanting ;  in  Jesus  there  is  every  thing  that  can 
be  desired;  he  is  altogether  lovely.  This  person,  com- 
bining beauties  beyond  what  man  may  possess,  or  the 
mind  of  man,  in  the  farthest  stretch  of  his  imagination, 
unaided  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  could  conceive — "  this 
is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend."   Ver.  9 — 16. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Such  a  representation  of  the  excellence  of  our  Lord, 
creates  in  those  hearing  it  a  desire  to  see  him  for 
themselves;  and  they  inquire  where  he  may  be  found, 
""Whither  is  thy  beloved  gone?  that  we  may  seek  him 
with  thee?"     Ver.  1. 

The  reply  is,  that  he  may  always  be  found  and 
seen  in  "his  garden,"  in  his  church,  which  is  in  the 
midst  of  this  world,  a  sacred  enclosure,  beloved  by 
him,  Ps.  lxxx.  12;  Isa.  v.  1 — where  is  his  strongest 
desire,  Matt,  xxviii.  20;  there  does  he  dwell  among 
his  people,  to  enjoy  the  fragrance  of  the  beds  of  spices, 
the  grateful  incense  of  desires  arising  from  sanctified 
hearts,  and  "  to  gather  lilies," — to  take  to  his  bosom, 
12 


130  ANALYSIS     OP     THE     SONG. 

transfer  to  heaven  those  ripe  for  the  change.  Though 
Jesus  may  be  withdrawn  from  the  heart  of  one  and 
another  of  his  saints,  he  is  never  absent  from  his 
Church;  he  is  always  in  some  part  or  another  of  it, 
among  the  beds  of  spices;  and  those  who  have  es- 
tranged him  from  them  by  neglect,  must  seek  for  him 
there.     Yer.  2. 

The  bright  manifestations  of  Jesus'  love  may  be 
withdrawn  from  us,  without  unsettling  our  hope ;  the 
absence  of  joy,  and  of  such  views  as  represented  in 
chap.  ii.  5,  iv.  1 — 15,  &c,  does  by  no  means  imply 
the  absence  of  piety  or  faith.  Faith  reposes  on  Jesus 
when  the  light  of  his  countenance  is  withheld;  and, 
as  we  follow  him,  though  amid  gloom  and  trial,  makes 
us  still  feel  and  say,  in  the  absence  of  all  spiritual 
comforts — even  in  the  deadly  gloom  of  the  greatest 
spiritual  darkness — "I  am  my  beloved's,  and  my  be- 
loved is  mine;"  though  his  presence  is  not  manifested 
now  to  my  soul,  I  know  that  "  he  feedeth  among  the 
lilies,"  that  his  nature  constrains  him  to  dwell  among 
his  saints;  and  there,  by  keeping  within  his  garden, 
under  the  influence  of  the  means  of  grace,  I  shall 
again  soon  find  the  joy  of  his  salvation,  in  the  fulness 
of  his  presence.    Ps.  xlii.  1,  5,  11.     Ver.  3. 

A  faith  thus  steadfast  is  never  disappointed.  The 
soul,  thus  following  hard  after  Christ,  and  seeking 
him,  perhaps  with  tears,  finds  him.  The  gracious 
Friend  who  had  been  so  misused,  chap.  v.  2 — 6, 
though  he  had  forsaken  the  soul  for  a  season,  rejoices 
to  receive  us  when  we  show  our  sorrow  by  seeking 
him,  Ps.  ciii.  9;  Isa.  lx.  10;  Ixiv.  5.     He   comes  to 


ANALYSIS     OF    THE     SONG.  131 

meet  us  as  he  sees  and  hears  us  following  him  through 
the  paths  of  his  garden ;  and  he  assures  us  his  love  is 
unchanged;  he  encourages  us  to  come  to  him,  hy  such 
language  as  is  used  in  verses  4 — 13,  &c.  This  pas- 
sage, down  to  chap.  vii.  9,  is  the  language  of  Jesus  to 
the  believing  soul  when  restored  from  the  estrange- 
ment caused  by  neglect  of  his  love,  as  stated  in  chap. 
v.  2 — 6.  At  such  times,  humbled  by  our  unworthy 
conduct  towards  such  a  friend,  we  hesitate  until  re- 
assured of  his  unabated  love.  As  Tirzah,  situated  on 
Judea's  beautiful  hills,  and  Jerusalem,  "beautiful  for 
situation,"  and  a  bannered  host,  were  objects  impress- 
ing the  mind  with  sensations  of  beauty,  and  of  com- 
manding dignity  and  majesty;  so  appears  the  soul  of 
the  saint  advancing  towards  Jesus  awaiting  us  amid 
the  beauties  and  fragrance  of  his  garden.     Ver.  4. 

In  accommodation  to  human  modes  of  speaking,  he 
says  the  impression  is  the  greatest  possible,  is  over- 
powering.    Ver.  5. 

Then,  as  though  to  reassure  us  that,  after  our  un- 
worthy conduct,  his  love  is  still  the  same,  he  uses  the 
same  language  previously  addressed  to  us,  chap.  iv. 
1_3.     yer.  7. 

Around  the  Lord  Jesus,  God  the  Son,  there  are  in- 
numerable lovely  and  glorious  beings,  "queens,  and 
virgins  without  number,"  on  whom  he  might  bestow 
his  love;  but  among  these  the  soul  of  the  believer 
stands  pre-eminent;  this  is  the  one  amid  that  host, 
whom  he  loves  above  all  others,  and  loves  as  devoted- 
ly as  though  there  were  no  other  to  love.  Moreover, 
that   soul   thus   sanctified,  thus   beautified  with   the 


132  ANALYSIS     OP     THE     SONG. 

beauty  of  holiness,  is  the  object  of  universal  admira- 
tion; all  that  saw  her  praised  her;  the  redeemed, 
fully  perfected  are  the  admiration  of  the  heavenly 
host.     Ver.  8,  9. 

And  as  he  sees  the  estranged  soul  of  his  saint  has- 
tening towards  him,  impressed  with  her  beauty  and 
dignity  of  bearing,  he  exclaims,  Who  is  this  approach- 
ing, covered  with  the  blush  of  beauty  and  glow  of 
health,  more  pleasing  than  the  dawn  of  the  morning ; 
beautiful  as  the  moon  in  her  silvery  brightness;  pure 
and  impressive  in  loveliness  as  the  brilliancy  of  the 
sun;  grand  and  imposing  in  her  demeanour  as  hosts 
with  streaming  banners?  Num.  xxiii.  21.  This  is 
even  my  ransomed  one,  new  created  through  the  Holy 
Spirit.     Ver.  10. 

Receiving  the  returning  saint  with  this  cordiality 
and  love,  our  Lord  proceeds  to  tell  his  feelings  during 
his  withdrawal.  He  withdraws  not  in  anger,  but  in 
love;  he  feels,  without  ceasing,  the  strongest  desire 
to  return  to  us ;  he  earnestly  invites  us  to  return ;  he 
continues  still  to  view  us  with  unabated  love,  with 
even  greater  pleasure  than  he  views  the  angels,  the 
hosts  seen  by  Jacob  at  Mahanaim.  Though  leaving 
the  individual  soul,  he  went  into  other  portions  of  his 
garden,  God's  husbandry,  1  Cor.  iii.  9,  the  Church, 
for  exercising  over  it  his  care.  But  the  strength  of 
his  love  towards  us,  unkind  though  we  had  been  to 
him,  would  not  allow  him  to  forget  us;  his  mind,  his 
heart,  was  on  us,  even  though  he  was  withdrawn,  and 
his  countenance  hid;  and  spontaneously,  almost  be- 
fore he  was  aware,  his  nature  being  love,  he  found 


ANALYSIS     OP     THE    SONG.  133 

himself  inclined  to  us  with  tender  compassion,  and 
returning  to  meet  us,  with  the  rapidity  of  the  chariots 
of  Amminadib.  Though  we  grieve  Jesus  by  our 
neglect,  and  compel  him  to  leave  us,  he  departs  in 
sorrow  and  in  love,  drawn  towards  us  still  by  the 
strongest  affection,  and  not  only  willing  to  receive  us 
if  we  seek  him  again,  but  coming  with  the  greatest 
rapidity  to  meet  us,  Song  ii.  8;  Luke  xv.  20.  Ver. 
11,  12. 

With  tenderness  and  emphasis,  he  encourages  us 
not  to  hesitate,  but  to  come  on,  "Return,  return, 
&c,"  assuring  us  that  his  heart  had  been  with  us, 
and  that  he  is  not  only  willing,  but  desirous,  to  look 
upon  us.  And  does  any  one  ask,  What  he  sees  in 
this  sanctified  soul,  that  so  captivates?  He  replies 
by  summing  up  the  whole  in  one  expression — the  fes- 
tive chorus  of  two  hosts.  He  has  as  much  pleasure 
in  contemplating  this  redeemed  spirit,  as  we  could 
have,  were  we  permitted  to  gaze  on  hosts  mingling  in 
the  festal  dances  and  rejoicing  of  a  day  of  triumph — 
such  hosts  as  were  seen  by  Jacob  at  Mahanaim,  and 
exulting  in  such  rejoicings  as  were  seen  when,  over 
the  first  creation,  "  The  morning  stars  sang  together, 
and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy."  Job 
xxxviii.  7.     Ver.  13. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  commendation  of  the  beauty  of  the  pious  soul, 
for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  it  to  trust  in  Jesus, 
notwithstanding  past   neglect   and   estrangement,  is 

12* 


134  ANALYSIS    OF    THE    SONG. 

continued  without  interruption  to  verse  9.  The  same 
principles  of  interpretation  apply  here  that  have  been 
used  for  interpreting  the  other  similar  passages,  chap, 
iv.  1 — 5 ;  v.  10 — 16.  Having  set  forth  this  beauty, 
he  is  represented  as  held  enchained  by  it,  ver.  5, 
"the  king  is  captivated  by  those  locks;"  and  ex- 
presses that  his  most  delicate  and  pleasing  delight  is 
had  in  the  company  and  contemplation  of  the  new 
creation  going  forward  in  the  soul  of  the  saint.  Ver. 
1—6. 

As  a  consequence,  he  wishes  to  gather  us  in  his 
arms,  and  carry  us  in  his  bosom,  Isa.  xl.  11,  and  to 
hearken  to  our  voices  engaged  in  thankfulness  and 
praise;  the  agreeableness  of  which  to  our  Lord  is  as 
great  as  to  ourselves  would  be  such  wine  as  mentioned 
in  verse  9.     Ver.  8,  9. 

With  the  10th  verse,  begins  the  third  part  of  the 
book,  which  contains  a  statement  of  the  effects  pro- 
duced on  the  heart  by  the  manifestations  of  love,  and 
by  the  motives  before  mentioned. 

1.  The  effect  is  the  full  assurance  of  hope,  "I  am 
my  beloved's,  and  his  desire  is  towards  me."    Ver.  10. 

2.  We  wish  to  be  much  alone  with  Jesus  in  retire- 
ment, "Let  us  go  forth  into  the  field,  &c."    Ver.  11. 

3.  We  engage  spontaneously  in  labours  of  holiness 
and  love,  such  as  enjoined  by  our  Lord,  "Let  us  get 
up  early  to  the  vineyards,  let  us  see  if  the  vine 
flourish,  &c,"  ver.  12.  In  such  ways  and  duties  as 
these  do  we  give  Jesus  our  love. 

4.  For  him  do  we  lay  up,  and  to  him  do  we  conse- 
crate our  best  gifts,  as  well  as  our  diligent  services, 


ANALYSIS    OF    THE    SONG.  135 

under  the  influence  of  this  love:  "All  manner  of 
pleasant  fruits,  which  I  have  laid  up  for  thee,  O 
my  beloved."     Ver.  13. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

5.  The  next  effect  mentioned,  is  a  desire  that 
every  thing  hindering  the  full  and  perfect  interchange 
of  affection  between  Jesus  and  our  soul,  might  be 
removed,  and  that  it  were  possible  to  enjoy  his  love 
to  us,  and  express  our  love  to  him,  as  we  shall  be  able 
to  do  in  heaven.  Much  as  we  may  now  long  for 
stronger  displays  of  his  love,  and  to  give  stronger 
evidence  of  our  love  to  him,  we  acquiesce  in  the 
present  state  of  things,  because  we  feel  there  would 
be  an  impropriety,  no  less  than  impossibility,  in 
those  overpowering  exhibitions  of  love  that  belong  to 
heaven.  But  this  does  not  preclude  us  from  feeling 
that,  were  it  seen  best  by  him,  we  would  rejoice,  even 
now,  in  those  raptures  which  belong  to  heaven,  where 
we  shall  be  able  to  speak  of  his  love  in  the  strongest 
language,  and  give  expression  to  it  in  the  most 
exalted  praise,  without  danger  of  exposing  ourselves 
to  the  contempt  of  the  ungodly.  Ver.  1.  There  shall 
our  fellowship  and  communion  with  him  be  far  more 
intimate  and  endearing  than  ever  on  earth.  Ver.  2. 

6.  Yet  though  this  desire,  of  ver.  1  and  2,  cannot 
be  granted,  we  wish  to  have  as  much  as  can  now  be 
enjoyed  of  Jesus,  even  such  seasons  as  are  here  men- 
tioned, and  had  been  enjoyed  in  chap.  ii.  6,  7,  and  with 
it,  the  desire,  as  there  expressed,  that  nothing  be  done 


136  ANALYSIS    OF    THE    SONG. 

to  interrupt  it.  This  seems  mentioned  as  though  it 
was  viewed  by  the  soul  as  a  blessed  and  satisfying 
foretaste  of  what  may  be  expected  hereafter,  and  as 
much  as  is  best  or  possible  for  us  in  this  world.  Ver. 
3,4. 

7.  But  though  we  cannot  now  enjoy  what  we  could 
desire,  and  what  shall  be  enjoyed  in  heaven;  though 
the  delightful  scenes  now  had  must  be  interrupted, 
yet  we  are  permitted  to  go  up  from  this  wilderness, 
leaning  on  the  beloved;  we  feel  that  underneath  us 
are  the  everlasting  arms;  in  all  circumstances  he 
sustains  us;  and  throughout  our  pilgrimage  we  are 
thus  upheld  by  him  who  first  found  us,  raised  us  up, 
and  took  us  into  covenant  relation  "under  the  apple- 
tree,"  as  in  chap.  ii.  8,  under  the  shadow  of  Christ. 
Ver.  5. 

8.  Another  result  of  this  love  is  the  desire  to  be 
continually  near  to  the  heart  of  Jesus,  to  be  perpetually 
in  his  remembrance,  and  sustained  by  his  Almighty 
power;  that  like  the  stones  engraved  with  the  names 
of  Israel  on  Aaron's  breastplate,  and  like  the  stones 
on  the  shoulder  of  the  High  Priest,  we  may  be  set  as 
a  seal  on  his  heart,  as  a"  seal  on  his  arm.     Ver.  6. 

9.  This  love  sacrifices  every  thing  that  would  come 
between  us  and  Christ.  Death  cannot  arrest  us — we 
love  Jesus  better  than  life,  "for  love  is  strong  as 
death."  Matt.  xvi.  24,  25.  The  delights  of  it  being 
such  as  have  been  represented  in  the  foregoing  verses, 
1 — 4,  and  other  parts  of  this  book,  we  desire  to  abide 
on  the  heart  of  Jesus,  and  run  to  embrace  even  death, 
if  necessary,  sooner  than  lose  his  love.     As  there  is 


ANALYSIS    OP    THE    SONG.  137 

nothing  which  jealousy  will  not  sacrifice,  so  there  is 
nothing  which  this  love  will  not  sacrifice  for  the  full 
enjoyment  of  Christ. 

10.  Every  thing  that  the  world  can  offer  for  bribing 
or  enticing  us  away  from  our  Lord,  is  rejected;  as 
this  love  cannot  be  got  from  Jesus  with  silver  and 
gold,  neither  can  the  heart  which  feels  it  in  the 
fulness  here  described,  be  induced  to  part  with  it  for 
the  world.  Ver.  7.  It  is  felt  to  be  more  precious 
than  rubies,  and  all  the  things  thou  canst  desire 
are  not  to  be  compared  unto  it.  Ps.  iii.  15;  Phil, 
iii.  8. 

11.  While  thus  enjoying  the  love  of  Christ  in  such 
fulness  and  power,  we  are  not  unmindful  of  the  im- 
penitent among  our  friends,  &c,  feeling  them  a  kin- 
dred to  us  by  the  flesh,  Luke  x.  29;  Rom.  ix.  3,  and 
anxious  for  them  to  obtain  like  precious  faith.  As 
a  younger  sister  not  yet  of  marriageable  age  was 
thought  of  by  her  who  was  exalted  to  be  the  queen 
of  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory,  and  had  a  care  exer- 
cised over  her  for  raising  her  in  due  time  to  an  eligi- 
ble position  of  dignity,  wealth,  and  splendour — so 
the  impenitent  are  not  forgotten  by  those  who  are 
already  enjoying  the  pledges  of  the  love  of  Christ; 
these  watch  for  souls  as  those  who  must  give  account, 
that  we  may  present  them  with  us  in  the  day  of  the 
Lord.     Ver.  8. 

The  change  that  will  be  then  wrought  in  the  con- 
dition of  souls  thus  brought  from  their  estrangement, 
nigh  unto  Christ,  is  illustrated  in  ver.  9.  Though 
in  their  natural  condition  they  are  like  an  ordinary 


138  ANALYSIS    OP    THE    SONG. 

wall  without  ornamental  work,  they  shall  be  made 
beautiful  as  a  palace  of  silver  built  on  such  a  founda- 
tion, or  as  a  door  of  ordinary  materials  encased  in 
cedar,  the  most  polished,  and  costly,  and  beautiful,  of 
all  wood.  The  Holy  Spirit  takes  our  nature,  dark 
and  unseemly  as  a  wall,  and  is  raising  thereon,  and 
from  the  midst  of  these  dilapidated  and  ruined  mate- 
rials, that  which  shall  be  more  beautiful  than  a  palace 
of  silver,  a  spiritual  temple,  an  habitation  of  God 
through  the  Spirit.  Eph.  ii.  12.  In  this  world  we  are 
to  glorify  God,  by  seeking  our  own  holiness,  and  the 
salvation  of  others ;  to  show  forth  his  praise  by  being 
a  wall  on  which  shall  be  built  the  silver  palace  of  our 
holiness,  and  by  being  a  door,  which,  encased  in  the 
most  precious  materials  of  its  kind,  shall  stand  in 
beauty  worthy  of  admiration  while  opening  to  others 
the  way  of  life. 

Though,  like  the  spouse's  sister  then  unfitted  for 
her  exalted  destiny,  the  impenitent  are  in  a  state 
giving  no  promise  whatever  of  the  glory  just  stated, 
and  attainable  only  by  the  workmanship  of  the  same 
Spirit  who  is  the  builder  and  maker  of  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem,  Ileb.  xi.  10,  the  saint  feels  that  by  nature 
such  were  we,  1  Cor.  vi.  11 — "I  am  a  wall" — and 
that  the  grace  which  so  changed  us,  made  us  fit,  gave 
us  power,  John  i.  12,  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  to 
find  favour  in  his  eyes — can,  will  change  them  from 
sin  to  holiness,  so  that  though  they  have  lien  among 
the  pots,  they  shall  be  as  the  wings  of  a  dove  covered 
with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold.  Ps. 
lxviii.  13.     Ver.  10. 


ANALYSIS    OP    THE    SONG.  139 

12.  This  love  makes  us  feel  and  labour  for  the  souls 
of  the  impenitent,  by  making  us  sensible  of  our  ac- 
countability as  the  stewards  of  God,  1  Cor.  iv.  1 ; 
Luke  xii.  42;  Matt.  xxi.  33;  xxv.  15;  Luke  xix.  13. 
All  our  property,  gifts  of  intellect,  influence,  &c,  are 
entrusted  to  us  by  God,  are  things  held  in  trust  from 
the  Lord,  who  will  require  of  us  an  account  of  our 
stewardship.     Ver.  11. 

This  responsibility  is  felt  by  him  whose  heart  is 
alive  with  love  to  Christ,  while  others  refuse  to 
acknowledge  it ;  and  in  view  of  his  obligations,  the 
saint  cheerfully  consecrates  to  his  Lord  the  due  por- 
tion of  his  services,  his  income,  his  all.     Ver.  12. 

13.  Thus  constrained  by  the  love  of  Christ  in  the 
way  of  duty,  the  soul  enjoys  the  privilege  continually 
of  audience  with  the  King  of  kings  through  Christ  the 
Saviour,  and  is  encouraged  in  the  exercise  of  prayer 
and  praise,  not  only  by  a  sense  of  our  need  and  by 
the  delights  of  holy  worship,  but  by  the  assurance 
that  our  voice  thus  heard  is  pleasant  to  Jesus,  chap. 
ii.  14; — that  these  expressions  of  holy  emotions  so 
agreeable  to  our  companions  in  the  kingdom  and 
patience  of  Jesus,  Rev.  i.  9,  abiding  with  us  here  in 
the  gardens  of  his  grace,  are  heard  with  still  greater 
pleasure  by  him  who  now  dwells  in  these  gardens  by 
the  Shechinah  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  chap.  v.  1,  as  he 
shall  hereafter  dwell  among  us  in  the  paradise  of 
God,  its  light  and  glory,  Rev.  vii.  15 — 17;  Rev. 
xxi.  23.     Ver.  13. 

14.  Thus  encouraged  to  dwell  at  the  mercy-seat  in 
confidential  and  constant  communion  with  our  Lord 


140  ANALYSIS    OF    THE    SONG. 

on  earth,  we  are  becoming  fitted  for  being  with  him 
in  heaven;  and  this  fitness,  combined  with  the  dis- 
plays of  his  love  before  mentioned,  carries  with  it  a 
stronger  and  stronger  desire  for  the  enjoyment  of  his 
glory  as  it  shall  be  revealed  when  the  Lord  perfects 
that  which  concerneth  us — at  his  second  coming 
when  the  day  breaks  and  the  shadows  flee  away.  To 
this,  as  the  ultimate,  absorbing  desire  of  the  soul,  do 
all  these  assurances  of  the  love  of  Jesus  lead.  As 
the  book  begins  with  a  burst  of  desire  for  the  love  of 
Christ  as  that  love  can  be  enjoyed  only  by  his  inti- 
mate friends,  chap.  i.  2,  it  ends  with  a  prayer  for  the 
hastening  of  the  time  when  we  shall  no  longer  see  him 
through  a  glass  darkly,  but  face  to  face — when  there 
shall  be  nothing  to  interfere  with  the  manifestation 
of  his  love  to  us,  and  the  expression  of  our  love  to 
him:  this  desire  is  expressed,  and  its  intenseness 
shown  by  the  prayer,  that  he  would  hasten  that 
happy  day,  and  come  with  the  celerity  of  a  roe  or  a 
young  hart  bounding  over  the  mountains  of  spices, 
and  at  every  step  shaking  fragrance  from  the  dewy 
boughs.  Rev.  xxii.  7,  12,  20.     Ver.  14. 


COMMENTARY 


ON   THE 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON, 


CHAPTER  I. 


Ver.  1. — The  Song  of  songs,  which  is  Solomon's. 
These  words  are  as  unmistakenly  given  by  inspira- 
tion as  any  succeeding  portion  of  this  book,  and  show 
the  estimation  in  which  the  Song  is  held  by  the  Holy 
Spirit.  It  is  called  the  Song  of  songs,  or  the  most 
excellent  Song.  For  the  purpose  of  meeting  the  nu- 
merous objections  brought  against  this  portion  of 
Scripture,  the  divine  wisdom  writes  on  the  front  of  it, 
an  attestation  of  its  superior  excellence,  not  only  to 
the  thousand  and  five  songs  by  Solomon,  but  to  all 
the  songs  ever  produced  by  all  other  poets.  He  who 
cannot  err,  tells  us,  in  language  of  no  doubtful  mean- 
ing, that  this  Song  is  unrivalled. 

Poetry  is  the  expression  of  the  best  and  most  beau- 
tiful thoughts,  of  exalted  emotions,  in  the  best  and 
the  most  beautiful  language.  The  language  of  poetry 
is  the  language  of  excited  feeling.  The  best  poetry 
must  have  the  noblest  theme,  deal  with  the  purest 
emotions,  and  be  adorned  with  the  richest  ideas.  God 
13 


142  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

has  garnished  his  works  of  every  kind  with  beauty, 
and  formed  us  with  a  capability  of  receiving  pleasure 
from  that  beauty.  Hence,  in  conveying  to  us  import- 
ant truth,  he  does  throughout  the  Scriptures  make  it 
attractive,  by  adapting  it  to  this  love  within  us  of  the 
beautiful.  Now,  love  is  the  very  excellence  of  God ; 
for  God  is  love.  Love  is  the  purest,  deepest,  and  most 
powerful  emotion  known  to  man.  Nothing  can,  there- 
fore, be  better  or  more  beautiful  than  the  subject  of 
this  Song;  and  being  a  song,  a  poetical  composition, 
it  must  be  in  the  best  and  most  beautiful  language.  A 
translation  gives  no  idea  of  the  excellence  of  Homer; 
and  beautiful  as  is  this  Song,  in  our  English  version, 
we  must  remember  that  it  is  the  poetry  of  an  age  more 
remote  than  the  earliest  Greek  poets,  in  a  modern  lan- 
guage of  very  different  structure  and  idiom. 

The  fact  that  this  Song  is  so  much  rejected,  is  a 
proof  of  its  excellence.  How  many  persons  can  see  no 
excellence  in  the  best  productions  of  genius,  even  when 
there  is  about  them  no  allegory,  as  is  here  the  case,  to 
be  interpreted  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  "A  work  of  genius, 
designed  in  a  lofty  spirit,  and  executed  with  a  fine  sense 
of  the  noblest  functions  of  poetry,  is  assuredly  not 
worthily  ajjpreciated,  unless  by  those  who  have  in  some 
measure  apprehended  that  world  of  suggestive  thought 
which  the  poet  aims  at  embodying  in  his  imaginative 
scenes  and  figures;  and,  if  a  series  of  poetic  images 
suggest,  to  diverse  minds,  diversified  trains  of  reflec- 
tion and  emotion,  this  is  perhaps  the  clearest  evidence 
of  their  poetical  intensity  and  truth."*  The  better  the 

*  Ed.  Review,  No.  181,  Art.  7. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  143 

poetry,  the  more  profound  the  ideas  embodied  in  it, 
the  farther  is  it  above  the  range  of  the  common  mind, 
and  the  more  likely  to  be  appreciated  only  by  the  cul- 
tivated few  whose  taste  has  been  carefully  refined. 
This  being  the  Song  of  songs,  the  same  thing  must  be 
expected  here,  and  to  a  much  greater  degree,  because 
there  is  need  of  a  taste  which  cannot  be  attained  with- 
out the  supernatural  aid  of  divine  grace.  Even  when 
the  highest  beauty  and  excellence  was  personified  in 
Jesus  Christ,  how  perfectly  was  all  this  above  the  com- 
prehension of  man.  They  saw  in  him  no  beauty  that 
they  should  desire  him.  Isa.  liii.  2.  His  beauty  can- 
not be  seen  and  understood  without  a  taste  imparted 
by  the  Holy  Spirit.  "  No  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is 
the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  1  Cor.  xii.  3. 
Much  is  said  about  the  Beautiful,  the  Good,  and  the 
True.  Jesus  was  the  personification  of  them  all.  In 
him  did  God  represent  unto  us  these  abstract,  spiritual 
excellences,  in  a  sensible,  bodily  form.  In  its  loftiest 
flights,  the  imagination  of  man  never  had  so  glorious 
a  conception  as  that  which  is  given  in  the  union  of  the 
divine  and  human  natures  in  the  person  of  Jesus 
Christ.  The  object  of  this  Song  is  the  celebration  of 
the  love  which  led  to  that  union — its  beauty,  its  attrac- 
tiveness, and  its  glorious  results.  Others  of  the  divine 
songs  of  Scripture  celebrate  some  particular  conse- 
quences flowing  from  this  love;  the  song  of  Moses 
at  the  Red  Sea,  speaks  the  praise  of  Jehovah  for  their 
deliverance;  the  Psalms  are  utterances  of  pious  feel- 
ing, for  various  mercies ;  this  Song  goes  to  the  spring 
of  all  that  is  beautiful,  good,  and  true,  and  celebrates 
the  love  which  is  the  fountain  of  all  blessedness.    Ho- 


144  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

mer,  generally  received  as  the  prince  of  poets,  sings  of 
the  malignant  passions,  the  wrath  of  his  hero,  the  cause 
of  woes  unnumbered ;  this  book  sings  of  the  wondrous 
love  of  God,  which  is  the  spring,  not  of  desola- 
tion, misery,  and  tears,  but  of  the  new  creation,  the 
deliverance  from  guilt,  the  consolation,  the  heavenly 
anticipations  that  are  abroad  in  our  world  of  woe.  It 
sings  of  the  same  love  which  is  the  burden  of  the  new 
song  in  heaven.  How  glorious  was  the  chorus  when 
at  the  completion  of  creation,  "  the  morning  stars  sang 
together,  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy." 
Will  not  that  be  the  Song  of  songs  which  shall  be 
heard  amid  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth  where- 
in dwelleth  righteousness,  when  the  innumerable  com- 
pany of  the  redeemed  and  the  angels  join  to  celebrate 
the  love  of  the  Lamb  that  was  slain.  The  theme  of 
this  Song  is  the  same  redeeming  love;  and  those 
whose  hearts  are  here  brought  by  grace  to  feel  the 
excellence  of  this  portion  of  Scripture,  are  already 
learning  that  Song  which  no  man  could  learn  but  those 
redeemed  from  the  earth. 

God  can  express  to  us  inward  spiritual  beauty,  only 
through  the  means  of  outAvard  sensible  beauty ;  and  in 
this  Song  he  makes  use  of  this  outward  beauty  for  im- 
pressing on  us  that  which  is  inwardly  beautiful,  true, 
and  good.  What  beauty  is  comparable  to  the  beauty 
of  holiness?  This  is  the  source  of  all  other  beauty. 
All  the  deformity,  ugliness,  and  filthiness  in  this  world, 
are  owing  to  the  want  of  holiness.  In  the  sky  or  hea- 
vens, where  no  stain  of  sin  has  fallen,  there  is  nothing 
but  beauty.  This  beauty  of  holiness  is  that  which  the 
Psalmist  so  earnestly  desired-  to  behold.  Ps.  xxvii.  4. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  145 

And  the  celebration  of  that  beauty  in  this  divine  poetry, 
renders  it  the  Song  of  songs.  A  few  years  ago,  on  a 
clear  winter's  night,  there  burst  forth  a  northern  light 
that  suffused  the  whole  heavens  with  a  rosy  tinge,  and 
threw  over  the  snow  and  landscape  the  same  unearthly 
hues,  different  from  any  thing  previously  seen,  and 
causing  emotions  of  inexpressible  pleasure  in  those  who 
beheld  this  transient  burst  of  heavenly  splendour  :  this 
Song,  is,  as  it  were,  a  rosy  burst  of  the  divine  love, 
which,  through  the  Lamb,  is  the  Shechinah  of  heaven ; 
and  those  whose  souls  have  the  spiritual  perception  for 
seeing  the  divine  light  here  beaming,  feel  their  hearts 
thrill  with  the  beauty  of  the  tinge  it  throws  over  our 
blighted  and  wintry  world.  Elsewhere  there  can  be 
seen  nothing  of  equal  or  like  beauty. 

It  was  proper  that  such  a  Song  should  be  written 
by  Solomon.  Aaron  having  prefigured  Christ  as  a 
priest,  and  Moses  foreshadowing  him  as  a  prophet, 
Solomon  prefigured  him  as  a  king.  And  while  David 
represents  Jesus  as  suffering  persecution  and  subduing 
the  enemies  of  his  people,  Solomon  represents  him  as 
the  triumphant  Prince  of  peace.  Under  Solomon,  the 
kingdom  of  Israel  was  perfectly  established  by  the 
conquest  of  all  their  enemies,  and  by  the  building  of 
the  temple  in  Jerusalem;  and  as  the  camp  in  the 
wilderness  may  represent  the  Church  in  this  world,  the 
reign  of  Solomon  may  be  a  representation  of  the  Church 
in  heaven.  While,  therefore,  David  sung,  in  the  Psalms, 
of  the  various  conflicts  of  the  Christian  life,  Solomon 
here  sings  of  that  which  is  the  end  of  all  our  conflicts, 
the  consummation  of  the  love  of  Christ  and  his  Church. 
13* 


146  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

Ills  mental  endowments  were  as  glorious  as  his  posi- 
tion. Not  only  did  he  surpass  all  others  in  wealth  and 
splendour,  the  most  kingly  of  kings ;  before  him  there 
was  none  like  him  for  wisdom,  neither  after  him  shall 
any  arise  like  unto  him,  1  Kings  iii.  12 ;  and  he  pos- 
sessed noble  poetic  powers.  A  man  combining  these 
rare  qualifications,  was  very  properly  selected  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  means  for  conveying  to  the 
saints  this  divine  allegory,  this  unequalled  Song  of 
love. 

Ver.  2. — Let  hiin  kiss  me  with  the  kisses  of  his  mouth: 
for  thy  love  is  better  than  wine. 

In  the  opening  scene  of  this  poem,  as  in  this  verse, 
the  king  had  probably  gone  forth,  according  to  orien- 
tal customs,  to  meet  the  bride,  and  was  awaiting  her, 
with  his  princely  retinue,  in  an  encampment  where  his 
rich  pavilion  stood  pre-eminent.  The  spouse,  looking 
forward  with  great  interest  to  this  meeting,  on  coming 
in  sight  of  those  kingly  tents,  almost  involuntarily,  as 
it  were,  gives  utterance  to  the  strong  emotions  of  her 
heart,  in  these  words.*  Kitto  remarks:  "There  are 
few  acts  bearing  more  diversified  and  contrasted  signi- 
fications than  the  kiss.  It  denotes  as  well  the  tender- 
est  affection,  as  the  most  profound  and  even   adoring 

*  Reiske,  as  quoted  by  Dopke,  says:  " It  is  a  fundamental 
principle  of  the  Arabic  language,  without  which  we  cannot 
understand  their  best  writers,  and  by  ignorance  or  neglect  of 
which  we  get  into  inextricable  perplexity,  that  very  frequently 
poets  do  not  name  that  which  they  designate,  because  the 
reader  or  hearer  may  easily  gather  the  sense  from  the  thread  of 
the  discourse  and  character  of  the  epithets  used." 


SONG     OF    SOLOMON.  147 

reverence."  The  words  "kisses  of  his  mouth,"  are 
not  merely  a  redundant  expression,  like  "words  of  my 
mouth,"  Ps.  xix.  14,  and  "with  their  mouth  they 
speak,"  Ps.  xvii.  10;  but  a  mode  of  distinguishing  the 
kiss  which  was  evidence  of  the  tenderest  affection,  from 
the  kiss  which  was  the  expression  of  submission,  reve- 
rence, and  obedience.  In  the  East  the  kiss  was  im- 
pressed on  the  mouth,  the  hands,  the  feet,  the  gar- 
ments, and  even  the  ground  where  the  feet  had  trodden 
— the  difference  being  caused  by  the  greater  or  less 
intimacy  between  the  individuals.  Permission  to  kiss 
■the  hand  of  a  sovereign  is  considered  an  honour ;  but 
for  that  sovereign  to  give  another  the  kisses  of  his 
mouth,  is  evidence  of  the  tenderest  affection,  and  is  the 
highest  possible  honour.  This  metaphor  is  common 
to  all  oriental  poets:  "0  suffer  me  to  quaff  the  liquid 
bliss  of  those  lips !  Restore  thy  slave  with  their  water 
of  life."  Thus  again:  "  Thou  who  sippest  nectar  from 
the  radiant  lips  of  Peclma,  as  the  flattering  Chacora 
drinks  the  moon-beams!"* 

The  language  of  the  spouse  is,  therefore,  a  desire 
that  the  beloved  would  give  her  those  evidences  of 
affection  which  none  but  the  most  cherished  friends 
can  have  right  to  receive.  They  express  the  desire  of 
the  pious  heart,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  would  give  us 
manifestations  of  the  love  which  none  but  his  dearest 
friends  can  receive,  or  have  reason  to  expect.  Jesus 
says  to  his  people,  "I  have  called  you  friends,"  John 
xv.  15;    "He  that  loveth  me,  shall  be  loved  of  my 

*  From  the  Gitagovinda. 


148  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

Father,  and  I  -will  love  him,  and  will  manifest  myself 
to  him."  John  xiv.  21.  The  persons  to  whom  these 
words  were  spoken,  understood  them  as  referring  to 
manifestations  very  different  from  any  thing  the  world 
could  receive:  "Lord,  how  is  it  that  thou  wilt  mani- 
fest thyself  unto  us,  and  not  unto  the  world?" 

What  are  those  manifestations  of  Jesus'  love  which 
none  but  his  friends  can  receive  ?     He  explains  them 
to  consist  in  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     As 
the  burst  of  feeling  which  in  the  bosom  of  the  spouse 
swallowed  up  all  others,  was  for  these  expressions  of 
affection;    so  the  predominating,  absorbing  desire  of 
the  believer,  is  for   the  full  communications  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.     It  is  a  point  of  the  greatest  importance 
for  a  man  to  know,  what  is  the  one  thing  which  should 
be  the  leading  principle  of  his  life,  to  be  pursued  with 
oneness  of  view  and  indivisibility  of  purpose.     Every 
person  has  some  such  aim ;    and  if  the  object  thus 
selected  be  a  wrong  one,  here  is  a  radical  error  which 
must  throw  every  thing  else  astray.     The  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  that  primary,  essential  object. 
It  is  much  for  the  impenitent  to  know  that  his  nature 
can  be  renewed  only  by  God's  Spirit ;  and  much  has 
been  done  towards  making  us  Christians  of  more  than 
ordinary  growth,  when  we   feel  more  than  ordinarily 
the  necessity  of  being  filled  with  the  Spirit  according 
to  the  full  capacity  of  our    souls.     Great  advances 
in  holiness  must  be  made  by  seeking  eminent  mea- 
sures  of  the   Spirit.     Those  will  be  most  holy,  will 
feel  most   deeply  the  love   of  Jesus,   who  seek   the 
greatest  degrees  of  the  communications  of  the  Spirit. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  149 

Preparation  for  heaven  does  not  consist  in  rising  to 
any  imaginary  standard  of  piety,  in  being  as  holy  as 
we  may  consider  some  illustrious  saints,  in  rising 
to  certain  frames  of  which  we  have  heard  and  which 
we  have  desired;  but  in  being  filled  as  full  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  as  our  capacities  can  bear.  Do  you  ask, 
How  can  I  attain  eminent  holiness  ?  Seek  with  unde- 
viating  and  self-sacrificing  purpose,  eminent  measures 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

There  are  various  ways  in  which  God  may  show 
his  love,  even  to  the  saints.  The  multiplied  comforts 
of  life,  home,  family,  friends;  the  continuance  of 
health,  reason,  eyesight;  the  exercise  of  our  faculties 
of  body;  exemption  from  calamity;  prosperity  in 
ordinary  duties;  enjoyment  of  spiritual  privileges ;  all 
these  are  ways  in  which  God  may  manifest  love  to  his 
people.  But  while  thankful  for  these  as  tokens  of 
divine  love,  the  saint  fixes  his  eye  far  above  and 
beyond  them — on  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
In  his  view  of  life,  the  principal  thing  is  held  to  be 
not  wealth,  not  honour,  not  popularity,  not  power, 
but  the  riches  of  this  heavenly  grace.  His  ruling 
passion  is  to  amass  the  durable  riches  and  righteous- 
ness of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  views  the  Spirit  as  the 
strongest  pledge  of  the  love  of  Jesus — a  gift  so  im- 
portant that  God  can  now  confer  on  us  no  other  gift 
of  equal  value.  Jesus  did  not  promise  his  disciples 
crowns,  or  riches,  or  honour,  or  ease  in  this  world ; 
but  he  did  promise  them  affliction,  with  the  Holy 
Ghost.  John  xvi.  33;  xiv.  16.  And  as  the  Spirit 
touches  our  soul  in  the  communication  of  his  grace, 


150  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

how  delightful  the  sensations.  When  they  told  Jacob 
"all  the  words  of  Joseph  which  he  had  said  unto 
them,  and  when  he  saw  the  wagons  which  Joseph 
had  sent  to  carry  him,  the  spirit  of  Jacob  their 
father  revived,  Gen.  xlv.  27:  how  much  richer  the 
feelings  of  the  patriarch,  when  that  long  lost  son  pre- 
sented himself  unto  him,  and  he  fell  on  his  neck,  and 
wept  on  his  neck  a  good  while.  Gen.  xlvi.  29.  The 
gift  of  the  best  robe  and  the  costly  ring  was  not  to 
the  prodigal  so  precious  a  proof  of  his  father's  love, 
as  that  given  when  the  father  fell  on  his  neck  and 
kissed  him.  Luke  xv.  20.  While  the  common  gifts 
of  Providence  are  received  with  thankfulness,  as  evi- 
dences of  God's  love,  and  our  spirit  may  revive  in 
meeting  with  the  conveyances  loaded  with  blessings, 
that  have  been  sent  to  encourage  and  refresh  us,  by 
Jesus  our  brother,  exalted  to  more  than  a  second 
place  in  the  heavenly  kingdom ;  no  proof  of  his  aifec- 
tion  is  so  much  coveted,  is  so  delightful,  as  when,  com- 
ing through  the  person  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  gathers 
us,  the  lambs  of  his  fold,  with  his  arms,  and  carries  us 
in  his  bosom,  Isa.  xl.  11 — manifests  himself  unto  us 
not  as  unto  the  world.  Refreshing  as  are  good  news 
from  a  far  country ;  more  pleasing  is  the  letter  writ- 
ten by  the  well  known  hand ;  more  so  the  sight  of  the 
absent  friend;  best  of  all  the  return,  when  we  press 
him  again  to  the  bosom :  and  refreshing  as  are  the 
words  of  Jesus,  written  to  us  in  the  Scriptures; 
blessed  as  is  the  ministry  of  his  angels,  who  like 
Jacob's  sons  with  the  Wagons  from  Egypt,  come  to 
us  laden  with  mercies  ministered  to  the  heirs  of  sal- 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  151 

vation;  pleasing  as  are  the  daily  gifts  of  his  provi- 
dence; our  greatest  happiness  is  enjoyed,  when  he 
impresses  on  our  hearts  his  love  through  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

In  the  latter  clause  of  this  verse,  the  reason  is 
given,  why  those  influences  of  the  Spirit  are  so 
ardently  desired:  "Thy  love  is  better  than  wine;" 
that  is,  thy  love  is  more  reviving  and  exhilarating 
than  the  effects  of  wine,  the  most  delightful  of  the 
pleasures  of  sense.  In  Eden,  the  most  precious  of 
the  trees,  even  where  was  every  thing  that  is  pleasant 
to  the  sight  and  good  for  food,  was  the  tree  of  life 
which  stood  in  the  midst  of  the  garden.  Jesus,  the 
true  wisdom,  is  the  tree  of  life  to  them  that  lay  hold 
on  him,  Psalm  iii.  18;  his  love  shed  abroad  in  our 
hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  the  fruit  of  this  tree  of 
life ;  and  who  will  tell  how  much  better  was  the  fruit 
of  the  tree  of  life  in  Paradise,  than  the  fruit  of 
Canaan's  richest  vines  ? 

The  love  of  Christ  is  reviving,  and  counteracts  the 
debilitating  effects  of  sin,  felt  so  painfully  through 
body  and  soul. 

"The  stream  that  feeds  the  well-spring  of  the  heart, 
Not  more  invigorates  life's  noblest  part, 
Than  virtue  quickens  with  a  warmth  divine 
The  powers  that  sin  has  brought  to  a  decline  !"* 

A  more  powerful  stimulant  than  the  love  of  kindred, 
the  love  of  money,  or  the  love  of  fame,  it  so  revolu- 
tionizes  the   heart   as   to   make   the   ambitious  man 

*  Cowper's  Table  Talk. 


152  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

sacrifice  his  vanity,  the  proud  man  his  reputation,  the 
vindictive  man  his  vengeance,  the  drunkard  his  drunk- 
enness, the  sensualist  his  lust,  the  miser  his  gold,  for 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  changes  the  parched 
ground  of  the  selfish  soul  into  a  limpid  pool  of  benefi- 
cence, and  the  thirsty  land  of  the  sensual  heart  into 
water  springs  of  holy  affections.  Unlike  the  pleasures 
of  sense,  this  love  is  more  than  a  temporary  stimulant. 
As  satisfying  as  it  is  pure,  this  is  the  antidote  of 
spiritual  death,  the  principle  of  eternal  life ;  and  when 
age  enfeebles  the  body,  palsies  the  hand,  and  makes 
cold  the  heart,  this  love,  so  powerful,  so  reviving, 
keeps  the  spirit  vigorous,  the  mind  active,  the  affec- 
tions warm ;  renews  our  youth  like  the  eagle's ;  until 
at  last,  from  the  very  ashes  of  this  bodily  frame,  it 
makes  the  spirit  emerge,  like  the  angels  from  the 
tomb  of  Jesus,  with  the  vigour  of  youth  and  immor- 
tality in  its  wings.* 

*  "There  is  this  difference  between  my  poetship  and  the 
generality  of  them — they  have  been  ignorant  how  much  they 
stood  indebted  to  an  Almighty  power,  for  the  exercise  of  those 
talents  they  have  supposed  their  own;  whereas  I  know,  and 
know  most  perfectly,  and  am  perhaps  to  be  taught  it  to  the 
last,  that  my  power  to  think,  whatever  it  be,  and  consequently 
my  power  to  compose,  is,  as  much  as  my  outward  form, 
afforded  to  me  by  the  same  hand  that  makes  me  in  any  respect 
to  differ  from  a  brute." — Cowper  to  the  Rev.  John  Newton. — 
Southey's  Edition  of  Cowper' s  Works,  vol.  iv.  186. 

Such  was  the  experience  of  Madame  Guyon:  "When  God 
gave  back  to  me  that  love  which  I  had  supposed  to  be  lost,  he 
restored  the  powers  of  perception  and  thought  also.  That 
intellect,  which  I  once  thought  I  had  lost  in  a  strange  stupidity, 
was  restored  to  me  with  inconceivable  advantages.    I  was 


SONG    or    SOLOMON.  153 

This  love  is  exhilarating,  raises  the  spirits,  gives 
cheerfulness  to  the  soul.  "Wine  maketh  glad  the 
heart  of  man."  Ps.  civ.  15.  "Give  wine  unto  those 
that  be  of  heavy  hearts."  Prov.  xxxi.  6.  And  religion 
maketh  glad  the  heart  of  man;  give  the  love  of  Jesus 
unto  those  that  be  of  heavy  hearts.  Religion  is  not 
the  gloomy  thing  so  frequently  supposed  by  the 
votaries  of  worldly  pleasure.  Purifying  the  heart  for 
seeing  God,  it  clarifies  our  enjoyments.  The  amuse- 
ments of  the  irreligious  world  are  inventions  for 
recruiting  the  tone  of  the  spirits,  which  impiety  de- 
presses and  corrodes.  The  glitter  and  revelry  of  the 
ball-room,  the  excitement  of  the  theatre,  the  ten 
thousand  little  trickeries  of  dress  and  artifices  of  man- 
ners for  drawing  applause,  the  empty  novel,  the  table 
of  hazard,  all  are  efforts  by  man  for  doing  what 
religion  would  do  for  him  in  a  noble  and  effective 
mode ;  not  by  convulsions,  but  by  opening  in  the  heart 
a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life. 
Those  who  have  never  known  the  elation  of  soul 
springing  from  the  love  of  Christ,  have  yet  to  learn 
what  is  meant  by  exhilaration  of  spirits.  How  much 
better  than  wine  is  the  love  of  country?  the  love  of 
family  ?  the  love  of  friends  ?  How  much  better  than 
all  these  is  the  love  of  Jesus?  The  joys  of  sight  and 
sound,  combine  them  all,  and  yet  there  is  no  compari- 
son. 

astonished   at  myself.     The  understanding,    as   well   as   the 
heart,   seemed  to  have  received  an  increased   capacity  from 
God;   so  much   so,  that  others  noticed  it,   and  spoke  of  its 
greatly  increased  power." — Life  by  Upham,  i.  258. 
14 


154  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

"Nor  rural  sights  alone,  but  rural  sounds, 
Exhilarate  the  spirits  and  restore 
The  tone  of  languid  nature:" 

If  these  utterances,  speaking  of  the  divine  wisdom 
and  goodness  through  the  heavy  medium  of  material 
things,  do,  as  we  well  know,  thus  enliven  and  recruit 
the  soul,  how  delightful  and  life-giving  must  be  those 
spiritual  visions  unfolded  to  our  minds  by  grace,  and 
those  sounds  conveyed  directly  to  our  heart  by  the 
Holy  Spirit — expressions  of  power  and  goodness,  but 
expressions  of  power  and  goodness  as  the  means  of 
filling  our  souls  with  emanations  of  mercy  and  love. 

Ver.  3. — Because  of  the  savour  of  thy  good  ointments, 
thy  name  is  as  ointment  poured  forth,  therefore  do  the 
virgins  love  thee. 

This  verse  would  be  better  translated,  Thy  perfumes 
are  rich  in  fragrance;  thy  name  is  perfume  poured 
forth,  therefore  the  virgins  love  thee.  The  universal 
use  of  rich  and  costly  oils  and  perfumes  among  the 
orientals,  for  health  and  beauty,  and  at  public  enter- 
tainments, especially  on  nuptial  occasions,  as  well  as 
in  common  domestic  life,*  renders  this  language  ap- 

*  "The  custom  of  anointing  the  body  is  usual  in  hot  cli- 
mates, and  contributes  greatly  to  comfort.  Even  the  Greeks, 
Romans,  and  others,  whose  limbs  were  mostly  protected  by 
clothes  from  the  dryness  of  the  air,  found  the  advantage  of  its 
use.  In  going  to  entertainments,  it  is  probable,  that  like  the 
Greeks,  the  Egyptians  anointed  themselves  before  they  left 
home;  but  still  it  was  customary  for  a  servant  to  attend  every 
guest,  as  he  seated  himself,  and  to  anoint  his  head;  and  this 
was  one  of  the  principal  tokens  of  welcome.  The  ointment 
was  contained   sometimes  in  an  alabaster,  sometimes  in  an 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  155 

propriate,  and  made  such  a  comparison  not  unusual; 
as  in  Eccl.  vii.  1,  "A  good  name  is  better  than 
precious  ointment." 

"The  name  of  God  is  used  as  a  compendious 
formula  to  denote  his  whole  moral  greatness,  the  sum 
of  his  whole  attributes  and  character.  And  it  is  in 
Jesus  that  we  have  the  full  exhibition  of  this  moral 
and  spiritual  excellency."*      The  nature  of  Christ  is 

elegant  porcelain  vase ;  and  so  strong  was  the  odour,  and  so 
perfectly  were  the  different  component  substances  amalgama- 
ted, that  some  of  this  ancient  ointment  in  one  of  the  alabaster 
vases  in  the  museum  at  Alnwick  Castle,  yet  retains  its  scent, 
though  between  two  and  three  thousand  years  old." — Wilkin- 
son's Ancient  Egyptians,  vol.  iii.  379.  "To  what  extent  the 
luxury  of  using  fragrant  oils  and  the  like  was  carried  on,  may 
be  inferred  from  Seneca,  Epist.  86,  who  says,  that  people 
anointed  themselves  twice  or  even  three  times  a  day,  in  order 
that  the  delicious  fragrance  might  never  diminish.  The 
wealthy  Greeks  and  Romans  carried  their  ointments  and 
perfumes  with  them,  in  small  boxes  of  costly  materials  and 
beautiful  workmanship." — Smith's  Did.  Antiquities. 

*  Russell  on  the  Covenants,  p.  310.  "The  name  of  the  Lord 
is  the  Lord  in  the  richness  of  his  deeds."  Hengstenberg  on 
Ps.  cxxiv.  8.  "One  name  would  serve  as  well  as  ten  thousand, 
if  we  had  but  one  relation  to,  or  one  idea  of  God.  For  instance, 
could  we,  being  perfect  creatures  as  angels,  only  depend  on 
him  as  our  great  Creator,  that  name  would  have  been  suffi- 
cient for  us  to  declare  him:  but  being  sinful  creatures,  yet 
creatures  to  be  redeemed,  our  Creator  stood  immediately  in 
many  relations  to  us,  according  to  our  several  conditions  of 
sinfulness,  recovery,  redemption,  and  salvation,  which  it  was 
necessary  for  us  to  know,  that  we  might  apply  to  him  under 
these  relations,  and  receive  every  benefit  and  blessing  we  need. 
He  hath,  therefore,  suited  himself,  as  it  were,  to  us,  in  the 
revelation  of  his  names." — Scrle's  Hor.  Sol.  444. 


156  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

here  illustrated  by  the  richness  and  pleasantness  of 
the  best  perfume ;  and  as  the  very  best  known  to  men 
was  not  good  enough  to  represent  the  character  of 
him  who  was  fairer  than  the  sons  of  men,  God  had  a 
perfume  compounded  for  the  express  purpose  of  show- 
ing the  divine  riches  of  our  great  High  Priest,  the 
holy  anointing  oil  of  the  Jewish  sanctuary.  The 
whole  nature  of  Christ  is  as  this  fragrant  oil,  so  pure, 
so  -delightful,  and  so  excellently  divine.  The  loveli- 
ness of  Jesus  consists  in  this  divinity,  this  fountain  of 
liquid  perfume  which  is  continually  pouring  forth  in 
deeds  of  kindness  to  his  creatures;  and  these  acts  of 
goodness  are  the  means  of  showing  forth  his  glory, 
and  developing  his  excellence.  The  comparison  in 
the  second  verse  sets  forth  the  pleasantness  of  the 
love  of  Christ  in  its  effects  on  our  hearts,  as  there 
shed  abroad  by  the  Holy  Ghost;  the  third  verse 
exhibits  the  richness  of  that  love  in  its  own  inherent 
nature,  as  it  exists  in  the  divine  excellences  of  the  man 
Christ  Jesus. 

The  three  chief  means  of  purification  under  the  law 
were  blood,  water,  and  oil :  the  last  was  the  type  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  source  of  healing  and  of  life. 
Nothing  capable  of  notice  by  the  senses,  could  be  more 
precious  and  fragrant  than  the  holy  oil;  hence  the 
Holy  Spirit*  is  called  "the  oil  of  gladness,"  Heb.  i.  9; 
and  in  the  passages  where  mention  is  made  of  pouring 
out  the  Spirit,  reference  is  had  to  this  emblem.     The 

*  See  Serle's  Essay  on  the  Oil  of  Gladness,  in  his  Horse 
Solitarias;  Leighton's  Sermons  on  this  verse,  and  on  1  Pefc. 
ii.  9. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  157 

pouring  of  the  precious  oil  upon  Aaron's  head  in  such 
profusion  that  it  ran  down  even  to  the  skirts  of  his 
garments,  had  its  fulfilment,  when  at  his  baptism 
Jesus  was  anointed  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  his 
fellows,  by  the  Shechinah  settling  on  him,  even  the 
Holy  Spirit,  symbolized  by  the  dove.  Hence,  the  Re- 
deemer never  received  any  public  official  unction  of 
this  priestly  oil  from  the  hand  of  man.  "The  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me,  because  the  Lord  hath 
anointed  me."  Isa.  lxi.  1.  When  Jesus  is  said  to  be 
anointed,  more  is  meant  than  merely  setting  him  apart 
to  office;  the  idea  is  that  of  his  receiving  the  Holy 
Ghost  without  measure,  John  iii.  34,  as  Aaron  received 
the  holy  oil  without  measure — a  divine  nature  into 
union  with  the  human  nature.  The  shedding  of  the 
Spirit  on  our  Lord  constitutes  his  designation  to  office, 
and  his  fitness  for  that  office.  A  body  was  prepared 
for  him,  Heb.  x.  5,  that  it  might  be  the  dwelling-place 
of  the  Spirit,  and  the  means  of  pouring  this  oil  of 
gladness  forth  among  men  for  healing  the  soul  from 
the  corruption  of  sin,  and  adorning  it  with  the  beauty 
of  holiness.  In  him  dwelt  all  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head bodily,  or  really,  and  not  merely  symbolically, 
as  it  dwelt  in  the  cloud  over  the  mercy-seat,  Col.  ii.  9. 
This  holy  perfume  of  the  divine  nature,  as  exuberant 
and  infinite  as  it  is  excellent,  fills  the  precious  alabas- 
ter of  his  human  nature  full,  and  running  over  on 
every  side,  like  a  golden  vessel  of  the  sanctuary  over- 
flowing with  the  fulness  of  the  sea.  In  this  immeasu- 
rable fulness  of  the  Spirit  of  holiness,  is  the  difference 
between  Jesus  and  his  fellows.  They  are  anointed  as 
14* 


158  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

the  leper,  when  a  drop  of  oil  was  put  on  his  ear,  and 
his  hand,  &c,  Lev.  xiv.  IT:  Jesus  was  anointed  with 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  with  an  illimitable  sea  of  liquid 
perfume.  His  superior  excellency  to  his  fellows,  the 
angels,  the  prophets,  and  the  saints,  associated  with 
him  in  the  work  of  redemption,  consists  in  his  having 
all  the  infinite  riches  of  the  Godhead. 

He  has  by  inheritance,  by  partaking  of  the  nature 
of  God  as  a  son  partakes  of  the  nature  of  a  father, 
and  by  possessing  a  right  in  all  things,  not  through 
donation  or  conquest,  but  through  his  right  as  a  son, 
a  more  excellent  name  or  cluster  of  perfections  than 
the  angels,  thereby  being  made  so  much  better  than 
they.  Heb.  i.  4.  The  unfolding  of  these  excellences 
to  us,  is  as  the  pouring  forth  of  the  precious  oil  of  the 
sanctuary.  The  precious  oil  of  the  heavenly  sanctu- 
ary is  the  divine  nature  of  Jesus  Christ.  All  his  gar- 
ments smell  of  myrrh,  aloes,  and  cassia,  as  he  came 
out  of  the  ivory  palaces  of  the  heavenly  glory,  Ps.  xlv. 
8 ;  and  this  is  because  God  has  anointed  him  with  the 
oil  of  gladness  above  his  fellows.  The  object  in  filling 
his  human  nature  to  so  overflowing  a  degree  with  the 
precious  perfume  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  that  this  oil 
of  gladness  might  be  poured  forth  among  men.  There 
was  no  way  of  sending  it  down  to  us,  but  through  this 
human  nature  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Before  this,  the 
emblem  of  God  towards  us  sinners  was  a  consuming 
fire,  such  as  was  placed  at  the  east  of  Eden,  and  was 
seen  on  the  top  of  Sinai.  How  great  the  contrast 
between  the  fire  which  on  the  mountain  burned  into 
the  midst  of  heaven,  Deut.  iv.  11,  and  the  holy  oil 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  159 

poured  forth  in  rich  perfume  under  the  shadow  of  the 
peaceful  cloud  over  the  inercy-seat:  the  former  con- 
suming with  terrible  vigour,  and  shooting  forth  light- 
ning and  death,  if  even  a  beast,  much  less  a  sinful 
man,  touch  the  mountain,  represents  God  as  he  must 
ever  be  towards  the  guilty;  the  latter,  delicious  in  its 
fragrance,  soft  in  its  richness,  and  healing  in  its  effi- 
cacy, shows  the  loveliness  and  grace  of  God  as  recon- 
ciled through  Christ.  As  the  woman  broke  the  ala- 
baster box,  and  poured  the  pure  spikenard,  very  pre- 
cious, on  the  head  of  Jesus,  and  the  house  was  filled 
with  the  odour  of  the  perfume ;  so,  through  his  broken 
body,  are  these  excellences  of  the  divine  nature,  mercy, 
love,  grace,  truth,  forgiveness,  and  sanctification, 
unsealed  to  ruined  man.  And  though  his  name  was 
poured  forth  in  so  many  ways,  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, by  prophecy,  by  providence,  and  by  types;  all 
these  were  through  his  broken  body,  and  in  connec- 
tion with  the  shedding  of  his  blood.  His  crucifixion 
was  the  breaking  of  the  alabaster  containing  the  pre- 
cious oil;  and  then  did  the  fragrance  of  his  name 
begin  to  spread  abroad  for  filling  the  world.  Even  as 
in  the  operations  of  nature,  using  means  for  sending 
the  knowledge  of  his  excellence  into  all  the  earth  by 
the  gospel  preached  to  every  creature,  he  who  brought 
from  heaven  this  sacred  treasure  of  healing  truth, 
deposited  it  not  in  vessels  of  gold,  found  in  the  palaces 
of  Herod  and  Caesar,  but  in  men  of  hurubler  mould, 
in  earthen  vessels  gathered  at  random  on  the  shores 
of  Galilee,  that  the  excellency  of  the  power  might  be 
of  God. 


160  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

His  name  is  poured  forth  by  the  shedding  abroad 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  our  hearts.  The  truth,  the 
sacraments,  the  ordinances,  are  means  subserving  the 
end  of  the  Spirit;  and  ministers  of  the  gospel  "are 
unto  God  a  sweet  savour  of  Christ,  in  them  that  are 
saved,  and  in  them  that  perish,"  because  they  are  ves- 
sels through  which  the  Spirit  pours  out  the  holy  oil 
on  the  perishing.  2  Cor.  ii.  15.  From  Jesus  as  the 
head,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  shed  down  on  all  the  members 
of  his  spiritual  body.  As  thus  poured  forth,  how  pre- 
cious is  his  name,  in  the  hour  of  repentance,  in  trouble, 
in  affliction,  in  temptation,  in  sickness,  in  death !  As 
the  Holy  Spirit  pours  the  healing  oil  of  grace  into  the 
heart,  how  can  these  truths  be  felt  sinking  clown 
through  the  soul!  There  is  something  peculiar  and 
inexplicable  in  the  sweetness  and  attractiveness  of  the 
name  of  Jesus  to  the  saint,  soothing,  delightful,  re- 
freshing, life-giving;  and  when  we  begin  to  open  up 
any  one  of  his  perfections,  there  seems  to  rise  around 
the  soul  something  richer  than  "a  steam  of  rich-dis- 
tilled perfumes." 

The  persons  that  love  him  whose  name  is  thus  pre- 
cious, are  "the  virgins,"  the  pure  in  heart.  As  the 
purity  of  Jesus,  or  his  holiness,  is  his  great  attractive- 
ness, and  as  in  love  there  must  be  an  adaptation  of  our 
affections  to  the  virtues  of  the  loved  one,  those  only 
can  love  Jesus,  who  purify  themselves  even  as  he  is 
pure.  1  John  iii.  3.  Those  by  whom  he  is  despised 
and  rejected,  are  they  to  whose  spiritual  leprosy  the 
oil  of  gladness  has  never  been  applied,  and  whose  con- 
stitution is  filled  with  all  unrighteousness,  as  sadly 


SONCJ     OP     SOLOMON.  1G1 

pointed  out  in  Rom.  i.  29 — 31,  and  in  Gal.  v.  19 — 21. 
Those  whose  souls  have  been  made  pure  by  the  fruit  of 
the  Spirit,  as  in  Gal.  v.  22,  whose  hearts  hare  been  fed 
by  heavenly  grace,  like  the  candlestick  all  of  gold, 
with  the  two  olive  trees  by  its  side,  which  through  the 
two  golden  pipes  emptied  the  golden  oil  out  of  them- 
selves, Zech.  iv.  2,  are  continually  ascending  to  Jesus 
in  the  purity  of  flames  of  love,  nourished  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Their  love  is  rendered  thus  ardent,  not  so 
much  because  he  is  the  means  of  their  escape  from 
hell  and  suffering,  as  by  their  perception  of  his  inhe- 
rent purity,  excellence,  and  loveliness. 

While,  therefore,  the  first  desire  of  the  saint,  as 
here  expressed,  is  for  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
we  are  led,  in  the  next  place,  to  the  infinite  excellence 
of  Christ.  These  two  grand  truths  are  the  proper 
introduction  to  such  a  book  as  the  Song;  like  the  two 
pillars  at  the  entrance  of  the  temple,  Jachin  and  Boaz, 
firmness  or  foundation  and  strength,  the  doctrines  of 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  as  our  corner-stone,  and 
of  the  grace  of  the  Spirit  as  our  strength,  are  never 
lost  sight  of  by  the  believer,  and  become  more  precious 
to  us  as  we  grow  in  holiness.  We  cannot  behold  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  inquire  in  his  temple  for  the 
utterances  of  his  love,  without  having  on  our  right 
hand  and  left,  these  grand  and  sustaining  truths. 

Ver.  4. — Draw  me,  we  will  run  after  thee.  The  King 
hath  brought  rue  into  his  chambers :  we  will  be  glad  and 
rejoice  in  thee;  we  will  remember  thy  love  more  than  wine : 
the  upright  love  thee. 

The   imagery  of  the   allegory  in   this  verse,  and 


162  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

indeed  in  the  greater  part  of  the  first  chapter,  seems 
based  on  the  supposition  that  Solomon  had,  according 
to  oriental  custom,  gone  forth  in  kingly  state  to  meet 
his  bride  on  the  road.  Hence  the  tents  of  the  king 
and  of  his  attending  nobles  would  be  set  up  with  royal 
magnificence,  at  the  place  where  he  was  to  meet  the 
spouse.  It  is  now  customary  in  the  east  for  persons 
of  distinction  to  lodge  in  their  own  costly  tents  on  a 
journey.  Van  Egmont  and  Heyman  state  that  the 
festivities  attending  an  occasion  of  great  public  re- 
joicing, when  they  were  at  Constantinople,  were  held 
in  a  camp  pitched  for  that  purpose  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  city.*     In  this  place,  we  may  suppose 

*  "It  must  be  owned,  that  the  Turks  spare  for  nothing  in 
rendering  their  tents  convenient  and  magnificent.  Those  be- 
longing to  the  Grand  Signior  were  exceeding  splendid,  and 
covered  entirely  with  silk;  and  one  of  them  lined  with  a  rich 
silk  stuff,  the  right  side  of  which  was  the  apartment  for  the 
eunuchs.  But  even  this  was  exceeded  by  another,  which  I  was 
informed  cost  twenty-five  thousand  piasters.  It  was  made  in 
Persia,  and  intended  as  a  present  to  the  Grand  Signior,  and 
was  not  finished  in  less  than  three  or  four  years.  The  inside 
of  this  tent  was  lined  with  a  single  piece  made  of  camel's  hair, 
and  beautifully  decorated  with  festoons  and  sentences  in  the 
Turkish  language." — Van  Egmont  and  Heyman,  vol.  i.  212. 

"  Maillet  states  that  the  Beys  of  Egypt  are  wont  to  be  at- 
tended by  large  bodies  of  servants,  magnificently  dressed; 
that  one  of  them  did,  on  days  of  ceremony,  appear  with  a  train 
of  three  hundred  horsemen,  all  his  slaves,  mounted  on  horses 
of  value,  whose  harness  was  of  silver  gilt,  and  with  saddle 
cloths  embroidered  with  gold  and  silver,  hanging  down  to  the 
ground.  The  sight  of  the  different  Beys,  with  their  attendants, 
riding  in  troops  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cairo,  had  a  very 
magnificent  and  imposing  effect." — Harmer,  200. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  1G3 

that  the  bride,  in  her  progress  towards  the  royal  city, 
comes  in  sight  of  these  tents  of  the  kingly  party  await- 
ing her,  and  gives  expression  to  her  feeling  in  the 
language  of  these  verses.  The  conveyance  seems 
hardly  swift  enough  for  the  ardour  of  her  love,  and 
she  gives  utterance  to  her  deep  emotion  in  the  words, 
"Draw  me,"  &c. 

The  perfections  of  Christ  are  transcendent  in  excel- 
lence, and  infinite  in  variety  and  extent,  for  they  are 
nothing  less  than  the  excellences  of  the  Godhead. 
The  glories  and  delights  centring  in  Jehovah  as  the 
fountain  of  life  and  beauty,  are  an  illimitable  treasury, 
an  ocean  of  light,  resplendent  with  greater  riches 
than  gold  and  gems,  into  which  we  are  permitted  to 
gaze,  through  the  person  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus; 
he  is  the  door,  John  x.  7,  Eph.  ii.  18,  the  central 
aperture  of  light,  through  which,  during  eternity,  we 
shall  be  seeing  and  hearing  things  impossible  for  man 
to  utter — so  glorious  as  to  have  merely  a  foreshadow- 
ing in  what  was  beheld  by  the  apostle  when  a  door 
was  opened  in  heaven,  Rev.  iv.  1,  and  he  saw  the 
wonders  and  heard  the  chorus  of  the  heavenly  host. 
Every  glimpse  of  the  beauty  of  Christ  increases  our 
desire  to  know  more  of  his  loveliness,  and  strengthens 
the  ardour  of  our  affections.  Expanding  and  growing 
more  intense,  through  ages  of  ages,  with  the  enlarge- 
ment of  our  view  of  the  perfections  of  God  unfolded 
to  us  through  Christ,  our  love  towards  him  will 
increase  with  a  progression,  and  to  a  degree,  now 
incomprehensible,  and  will  draw  us  to  him  with  a 


164  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

gentle  power  and  wondrous  pleasantness,  of  which 
the  mind  cannot  now  even  remotely  conceive. 

As  those  precious  perfumes  or  excellences  of  char- 
acter were  the  cause  of  attraction  or  love,  the  first 
words  of  this  verse  are  a  prayer  that  he  would  unfold 
his  loveliness,  and  thereby  draw  the  soul  to  himself. 
The  character  of  Christ,  as  opened  to  the  heart  by 
the  Holy  Spirit,  is  the  corrective  of  our  natural 
sluggishness,  and  kindles  within  us  the  desire  of  fol- 
lowing him  with  all  our  energy,  of  running  after  him  ; 
but  as  our  weakness  is  more  sensibly  felt  as  this 
desire  strengthens,  we  pray  that  his  strength  may  be 
made  perfect  in  our  weakness,  and  we  may  be  con- 
strained by  the  influence  of  his  grace.  "  The  love  of 
Christ  constraineth  us."  2  Cor.  v.  14.  "All  my 
springs  are  in  thee."  Ps.  lxxxvii.  7.  Nothing  is 
more  attractive  than  a  lovely  character,  to  those 
capable  of  relishing  its  beauties.  The  Creator  has 
made  us  susceptible  of  this  attraction,  as  naturally  as 
matter  is  susceptible  of  attraction  by  gravitation. 
When  the  Holy  Spirit  unfolds  the  loveliness  of  Christ, 
and  restores  the  perceptive  powers  of  the  heart,  we 
are  spontaneously  drawn  towards  Jesus. 

When  we  are  inclined  towards  our  Lord  with  ani- 
mated affections — running  after  him — he  receives  us, 
and  brings  us  into  his  apartments,  the  place  into 
which  none  are  admitted  but  his  confidential  friends. 
There  was  the  court  of  the  garden  of  the  king's  palace, 
where  the  king  made  a  feast  unto  all  the  people,  Esth. 
i.   5;   and  there  was  the  inner  court  of  the  king's 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  1G5 

house,  where  none  were  permitted  to  enter  hut  invited 
guests,  Esth.  iv.  11,  v.  2,  and  there  were  the  apart- 
ments here  called  chambers,  where  he  saw  only  those 
whom    he   intimately   cherished   and  loved.      These 
apartments  are  what  is  meant  by  the  words,  "In  the 
secret  of  his  tabernacle  shall  he  hide  me,"  Ps.  xxvii. 
5 ;  "He  that  dwelleth  in  the  secret  place  of  the  most 
High  shall  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty." 
Ps.  xci.  1.    How  beautiful  was  the  holy  of  holies  with 
its  sides  overlaid  with  gold,  its  veil  of  blue  and  purple 
and  scarlet,  and  the  mercy-seat  of  pure  gold,  over- 
shadowed by  the  two  cherubim  of  gold  beaten  out  of 
one  piece,  while  the  cloud  of  glory  was  its  only  light ; 
this  was  the  representation  of  the  spiritual  chambers 
in  which  the  king  who  dwelleth  between  the  cheru- 
bim receives  his  faithful  friends,  and  of  those  man- 
sions   prepared   in   heaven,   where,   when   he    comes 
ao-ain,  he  will  receive  us  unto  himself.     The  Psalmist 
says  of  one  thus  favoured,  "  His  soul  shall  dwell  at 
ease,"    or   lodge   in   goodness,   the    divine   goodness 
forming  the  walls  of  the  dwelling  in  which  he  passes 
the  night  of  his  sojourn  on  earth.     The  secret  of  the 
Lord  is  with  such,  Ps.  xxv.  14;  he  treats  them  as 
confidential  friends.    And  as  he  revealed  to  Noah  the 
secret  of  the  flood,  and  to  Abraham  the  secret  of  the 
destruction  of  Sodom,  Gen.  xviii.  17,  and  to  Daniel 
the   secret  of  the  king's  dream,  Dan.  ii.  19,  so  does 
he  show  unto  us  his  covenant,  speaking  to  our  hearts 
in  the  still  small  voice  of  his  Spirit;  and,  while  giving 
unto  us  the  white  stone,  in  which  is  a  new  name  writ- 
ten that  no  man  knoweth  saving  he  that  receivcth  it, 
15 


16G  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

feeding  us  on  better  than  angel's  food,  even  the 
hidden  manna  of  the  riches  of  his  grace.  How  can 
we  utter  the  blessedness  of  having  such  an  intimate 
friend?  Do  we  need  wisdom?  Our  confidential  friend 
is  Christ,  the  wisdom  of  God.  Do  we  need  protec- 
tion? Our  dearest  friend  is  Christ,  the  power  of 
God,  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  even  from  the 
grave,  and  from  hell.  His  is  a  friendship  that  no 
change  of  circumstances  can  alienate.  Unlike  the 
heartless  friends  of  the  world,  he  does  not  forsake  us 
when  riches  flee  away ;  he  gathers  us  more  closely  to 
him  in  the  hour  of  sorrow.  Touched  with  the  feeling 
of  our  infirmities,  he  binds  up  the  broken-hearted, 
and  pouring  the  oil  of  gladness  and  the  wine  of  grace 
into  the  bruised  spirit,  from  which  even  the  priest  and 
Levite  had  turned  away,  he  says,  "I  will  never  leave 
thee  nor  forsake  thee."  In  him  are  hid  all  the 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge;  with  him  are 
durable  riches  and  righteousness ;  he  holds  for  us,  in 
his  right  hand,  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away. 
No  friendship  is  so  intimate,  reliable,  honourable,  and 
confidential,  as  that  existing  between  Jesus  and  the 
soul  of  the  saint.  No  secret  entrusted  to  him  will 
ever  be  dishonourably  divulged.  When  father  and 
mother  forsake,  he  remains  faithful  still.  To  him 
may  we  go  with  our  secret  griefs ;  to  him  may  we 
unburden  our  heaviest  sorrows,  with  the  confidence 
of  being  never  received  with  coldness,  of  being  wel- 
comed with  the  tenderest  sympathy  and  most  com- 
passionate love.  Though  we  have  forsaken  him  like 
Peter,    he   remembers   our   iniquities   no  more,  and 


SONG     OP    SOLOMON.  167 

receives  us  with  no  heavier  rebuke  than  the  look  ho 
turned  upon  that  weeping  disciple.  Happy  are  they 
who  know  how  to  value  such  a  friend. 

The  words,  "  We  would  be  glad  and  rejoice  in 
thee,"  show  the  results  of  this  communion  with  Christ, 
great  joy  and  exultation.  The  Psalmist  sings,  "How 
good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  toge- 
ther in  unity;"  much  greater  is  the  pleasure  had  in 
dwelling  with  Jesus  as  our  confidential  friend.  In  his 
presence  is  fulness  of  joy.  With  him  is  the  fountain 
of  life;  and  as  our  joy  must  increase  in  purity  and 
intensity  with  every  step  of  approach  towards  him, 
when  we  rest  with  him  at  the  throne  of  grace,  our  joy 
must  be  full.  Unlike  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  these 
gratifications  are  attended  with  no  painful  remem- 
brances :  "  We  will  remember  thy  love  more  than 
wine."  Here,  with  Jesus,  we  have  great  peace  in 
present  possession,  glorious  hopes  for  the  future, 
sweet  recollections  of  the  past.  What  are  the  re- 
membrances continually  gathering  around  an  irreli- 
gious life?  Hopes  blasted,  expectations  disappointed, 
a  sense  of  having  never  realized  what  was  anticipated 
from  any  source,  the  enfeebling  effects  of  dissipation, 
apprehensiveness  of  detection  and  exposure  in  un- 
righteous gratifications,  and  forebodings  uttered  by 
conscience  of  judgment  to  come;  these  are  the  best 
fruits  that  memory  can  gather  from  the  past,  wherein 
there  have  been  no  visions  of  Jesus.  How  empty  is 
the  recollection  of  even  the  temperate  and  allowable 
enjoyments  of  the  irreligious  !  But  how  sweet  is  the 
remembrance  of  God's  grace!   These  memories  are  as 


168  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

a  luminous  stream  of  living  waters,— unlike  the  seas 
whose  waves  follow  the  track  of  the  ship  with  light  at 
midnight, — winding  amid  the  deepening  gloom  and 
ruins  of  the  past.  How  tender  the  recollection  of  the 
times  and  places  where  first  this  precious  Friend  met 
us  with  the  assurance  of  forgiveness,  where  his  Spirit 
melted  down  the  soul  in  deep  contrition,  where  we  had 
brightening  views  of  heaven,  where  Jesus  showed  us 
his  glory  and  gave  us  his  love !  Could  any  pleasures 
of  wine,  of  sense,  of  the  world,  be  remembered  as 
fondly  as  the  disciples  cherished  the  recollection  of 
the  farewell  words  of  their  Lord,  of  the  discourse  on 
the  road  to  Emmaus,  of  the  scene  at  the  transfigura- 
tion? And  as  the  tide  of  time  will  not  allow  us  to 
make  tabernacles  and  dwell  where  thus  our  Lord  met 
us,  memory  delights  to  build  her  shrines  there,  and 
linger  fondly  on  those  consecrated  hills. 

The  last  clause,  we  would  read,  They  love  thee  sin- 
cerely, rather  than,  "  The  upright  love  thee."*  In  ver. 
3,  it  is  said,  the  virgins,  or  the  pure  in  heart,  love  him 
for  the  excellences  of  his  character.     Here,  the  same 

*  Following  the  Latin  Vulgate,  the  English  translators  have 
thus  rendered  this  clause.  The  version  here  given  is  more  cor- 
rect. Something  must  be  supplied  in  the  Hebrew,  in  order  to 
make  out  the  sense  in  the  English  version.  In  Ps.  lxxv.  3,  the 
same  word  here  translated  "  the  upright,"  is  rendered  "  up- 
rightly." There  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be  thus  ren- 
dered here.  With  the  Hebrew  word  used  adverbially,  rather 
than  as  a  substantive,  the  connection  of  the  clause  with  the 
foregoing  part  of  the  verse  is  obvious;  and  the  meaning  is, 
They,  that  is,  the  virgins,  love  thee  sincerely.  The  import  of 
the  words  then  is,  that  they  who  love  Jesus,  love  him  sincerely, 
with  an  affection  lawful,  deep,  and  pure. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  169 

persons  are  said  to  love  him  with  sincerity,  with  a  love 
they  have  good  reason  to  indulge— a  love  pure,  deep, 
and  intense,  separated  from  all  interested  motives, 
and  stronger  from  being  thus  pure.  These  words  are 
the  natural  expression  of  a  heart  occupied  with  such 
love.  And  when  our  precious  Lord  has  drawn  us  by 
his  grace,  so  that  the  soul  rises  towards  him  with  the 
energy  of  eagles'  wings ;  when  he  has  taken  us  apart 
into  chambers  filled  with  visions  more  glorious  than 
those  had  by  Moses  in  the  mount ;  where  he  saw  the 
God  of  Israel,  and  under  his  feet  as  it  were  a  paved 
work  of  a  sapphire  stone,  and  as  it  were  the  body  of 
heaven  in  its  clearness ;  then,  how  deep,  how  reason- 
able, how  sincere  is  felt  our  love  !  As  Satan  accused 
Job  of  serving  God  from  selfish  motives,  and  as  a  bad 
man  will  not  admit  that  others  can  be  actuated  by 
pure,  disinterested  principle;  we  feel,  on  the  other 
hand,  that,  like  ourselves,  our  brethren  are  controlled 
by  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity  in  their  devotion  and 
love  to  Jesus. 

yER.  5._I  am  black,  but  comely,  O  yc  daughters  of 
Jerusalem,  as  the  tents  of  Kedar,  as  the  curtains  of  Solo- 
mon. 

Received  in  these  tents  with  royal  magnificence, 
and  seeing  around  her  a  company  of  female  atten- 
dants on  the  king,  here  called  the  daughters  of 
Jerusalem,  the  spouse  notices  the  contrast  between 
the  freshness  of  their  complexion,  always  shielded  at 
home  for  exposure,  and  her  own  dusky  hue,  contracted 
from  being  abroad  under  the  scorching  sun;  she  ac- 
cordingly expresses  her  feelings  by  saying  that  though 
15* 


170  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

dark,  she  was  beautiful,  and  illustrates  her  meaning 
by  a  comparison  drawn  naturally  from  the  surround- 
ing encampment.  Even  now  the  Arabs  generally 
make  use  of  tents  covered  with  black  hair-cloth;  those 
of  Kedar  especially  are  thus  covered,  and  being  gene- 
rally low  and  of  flat  appearance,  cause  a  camp  of  such 
tents  at  a  distance,  to  look  like  a  number  of  black 
spots.  The  curtains  of  Solomon  are  here  most  pro- 
bably put  for  a  splendid  state-tent  of  that  monarch, 
something  like  those  even  yet  known  among  oriental 
monarchs.  "History  has  recorded,  that  at  the  fa- 
mous marriage  feast  held  by  Tamerlane  at  Ranighul, 
the  royal  tents  were  gilded,  and  adorned  with  pre- 
cious stones.  Each  tent  had  twelve  columns  of  sil- 
ver, inlaid  with  gold;  the  outside  was  scarlet  and 
seven  other  colours,  and  the  inside  was  lined  with 
satin  of  all  colours.  The  curtains  were  of  velvet 
and  the  ropes  of  silk.  At  the  encampment  of  the 
same  conqueror  in  the  plain  of  Ourtaupa,  the  pavil- 
ions were  richly  ornamented,  and  hung  with  curtains 
of  brocade  covered  with  golden  flowers.  At  other 
times,  we  read  of  tents  'covered  with  tartaries  full 
nobly:'  and  at  the  great  encampment  at  Minecgheul 
the  tent  of  Timur  himself  was  under  a  canopy  sup- 
ported by  forty  pillars,  and  was  as  spacious  as  a 
palace.  In  the  middle  of  it  was  a  throne,  so  orna- 
mented with  precious  stones  that  it  resembled  a  sun. 
The  contrast  between  such  glorious  pavilions  as  these, 
and  the  sombre  tents  of  the  pastoral  tribes,  is  great 
indeed."* 

*  Kitto's  Daily  Bible  Readings,  on  the  Song.     See  notes  on 
ver.  4. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  171 

Love  and  communion  ■with  Jesus  is  the  means  of 
imparting  to  us  a  more  correct  knowledge  of  our- 
selves— "I  am  black,  but  comely,  0  ye  daughters  of 
Jerusalem."  The  daughters  of  Jerusalem  mentioned 
in  Luke  xxiii.  28,  were  the  native  women  of  Jerusa- 
lem ;  and  by  these  words  are  here  meant  those  com- 
panions of  the  spouse,  the  saint,  in  the  spiritual  Jeru- 
salem, with  whom  we,  though  strangers  and  foreign- 
ers, are  brought  into  association  by  conversion.  To 
these  pious  brethren  are  these  words  addressed,  as 
those  who  love  the  Lord  speak  often  to  one  another, 
and  the  Lord  hearkens  and  hears.  Mai.  iii.  16.  The 
spouse  was  aware  of  her  deficiency  in  point  of  beauty, 
and  was  yet  conscious  of  an  excellence  that  had  been 
imparted  to  her.  There  is  no  correct  knowledge  of 
our  nature,  without  the  prior  knowledge  of  Christ, 
The  maxim  of  the  ancient  sage,  "Know  thyself," 
was  an  impossibility  without  the  gospel  and  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Man  may  feel  the  want  of  things,  without 
being  able  to  attain  the  knowledge  for  relieving  such 
want.  The  unpretending  disclosures  in  the  Scrip- 
tures give  a  deeper  view  into  the  nature  of  man,  than 
all  the  philosophy  of  all  ages.  They  give  us  all  the 
knowledge  of  our  nature  now  necessary,  and  lead  to 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  means  of  enlightening  the 
mind.  Our  condition  by  nature  is  one  of  atheism, 
Eph.  ii.  12,  without  God  as  well  as  without  Christ. 
Atheism  is  well  defined,  "an  invincible  ignorance, 
fancying  itself  the  highest  knowledge;"*  it  might  be 

*  Plato  against  the  Atheists.     The  Laws,  book  x.  1 


172  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

added,  an  ignorance  of  self,  originating  in  ignorance 
of  God.  The  spring  of  our  being  is  in  God;  in  him 
is  the  source  of  our  knowledge  no  less  than  our  plea- 
sures. In  the  study  of  every  science  or  subject,  there 
are  elementary  truths  which  cannot  be  disregarded 
without  affecting  all  our  subsequent  investigations 
with  more  or  less  error.  The  first  principles  of  the 
knowledge  of  ourselves,  for  which  metaphysics  is  but 
another  name,  are  found  in  the  Scriptures,  must  be 
studied  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  can  be  read  only  in 
the  light  diffused  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Such  branches 
as  mathematics  and  physics  may  be  pursued  without 
any  material  tendency  to  error,  arising  from  want  of 
religious  knowledge;  the  metaphysician  must,  how- 
ever, begin  by  being  a  pious  man.  The  fine  theories 
woven  by  the  most  acute  minds  and  dignified  as 
transcendentalism,  show  the  importance  of  building- 
all  such  structures  on  the  foundation  of  the  apostles 
and  prophets,  with  Jesus  Christ  as  the  corner-stone. 

The  Holy  Spirit  does  not  give  us  distorted  views 
of  our  nature,  but  shows  that  nature  as  it  is;  its 
deficiencies  and  its  virtues.  Like  the  dark  tents  of 
Kedar,  a  wandering  tribe  of  the  desert  descended 
from  the  second  son  of  Ishmael,  the  spouse  was  of  a 
swarthy  colour;  the  original  beauty  of  the  human 
soul  has  been  thus  clouded  and  blackened  by  sin, 
yet  through  grace,  there  is  gathering  around  it  a 
drapery  of  holy  virtues,  beautiful  as  the  curtains 
adorning  the  pavilion  of  Solomon.  1  Kings  x.  28; 
Ezek.  xxvii.  7.  While  our  earthly  house  of  this  ta- 
bernacle  is,  without,  black  as   the  tents  of  Kedar, 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  173 

uncomely  to  mortal  eyes;  the  redeemed  soul,  the 
king's  daughter,  is  all  glorious  "within,  as  there 
adorned  with  curtains  of  pious  graces,  wrought  in 
heaven  by  a  greater  than  Solomon,  and  hung  around 
the  sanctuary  of  this  spiritual  temple  by  the  hands  of 
angels  under  the  eye  of  God  the  Spirit.  The  beauty 
and  glory  of  the  believer  are  now  very  much  hidden 
from  the  world.  Our  life  is  a  hidden  life.  There  is 
a  fulness  of  "glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us"  at 
"the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God."  Rom.  viii. 
19.  When  the  apostle,  speaking  of  heaven,  says,  "I 
saw  no  temple  therein,"  Rev.  xxi.  22,  he  would  inti- 
mate that  the  outer  covering  of  the  tabernacle,  with 
its  golden  walls  and  all  its  costly  appendages,  had 
fallen  away,  that  nothing  had  been  left  but  the  holy 
of  holies,  with  the  cloud  of  glory,  and  this  holy  place 
had  been  expanded  into  the  dimensions  of  the  para- 
dise of  God :  thus  when  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall 
appear,  we  also  shall  appear  with  him  in  glory;  the 
secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  revealed ;  the  injage  of 
Christ  within  us  the  hope  of  glory,  shall  be  mani- 
fested; our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  shall  be 
dissolved,  and  the  soul  emerge  from  it  like  the  most 
holy  place  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  pure,  spiritual, 
luminous  with  the  divine  glory.  Of  the  existence  of 
holy  graces  within  us,  we  cannot  be  unconscious,  if 
we  are  the  sons  of  God;  yet  will  we  be  painfully 
sensible  of  our  depravity  and  corruption.  Humility 
consists  in  a  true  knowledge  of  our  character,  with- 
out being  insensible  of  what  grace  has  done  for  us, 
while   aware   of    our   extreme    unworthiness.     How 


174  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

useless  and  unnecessary  would  it  have  been  to  put 
such  fine  and  costly  curtains  on  the  outside  for  the 
covering  of  a  tent  exposed  to  the  sun,  wind,  and 
rain.  The  tabernacle  was  covered  with  coarse  skins; 
the  costly  vail  was  within,  screened  from  the  eyes  of 
the  multitude;  so  the  beauteous,  transparent  drapery 
of  holiness,  which  the  Spirit  of  God  is  hanging 
around  the  soul,  is  within,  concealed  from  the  gaze 
of  the  world,  while  the  outer  covering  of  this  habita- 
tion of  God  through  the  Spirit,  Eph.  ii.  22,  is  the 
coarse  fabric  of  this  dark  and  weather-beaten  body. 
The  crystal  palace  reared  in  London  has  been  justly 
the  admiration  of  the  world;  like  it,  there  has  been 
nothing  seen  in  any  age ;  an  unlettered  savage  could 
hardly  be  made  to  understand  how  a  building  could 
be  formed  so  beautiful,  so  transparent,  and  how  there 
could  be  gathered  in  it  such  choice  products  of  skill, 
into  the  beauties  of  which  even  kings  and  nobles  na- 
turally desire  to  look.  In  the  heavenly  Jerusalem, 
will  be.  reared  a  spiritual  palace  which  shall  be  the 
admiration  and  ornament  of  that  world  of  light  and 
glory;  nothing  will  there  be  known  more  splendid; 
it  will  rise  on  those  heavenly  hills  a  new  and  aston- 
ishing creation,  of  materials  clearer  and  more  beauti- 
ful than  a  fabric  of  glass  and  gold,  open  on  every 
side  to  the  rays  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  stored 
with  those  choice  products  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  wis- 
dom and  power,  the  graces  of  the  sanctified  heart — 
into  which  things  the  angels  desire  to  look.  That 
crystal  palace  is  the  redeemed  Church;  even  a  more 
glorious  temple  is  every  sanctified  soul. 


SONCl    OP    SOLOMON.  175 

VER.  6. — Look  not  upon  me,  because  I  am  black,  because 
the  sun  hath  looked  upon  me:  my  mother's  children  were 
angry  with  me ;  they  made  me  the  keeper  of  the  vineyards ; 
but  mine  own  vineyard  have  I  not  kept. 

Having  acknowledged  the  whole  truth  concerning 
herself,  dark  but  comely,  the  spouse  seems  here  to 
say,  that  she  was  not  worthy  of  the  high  regard 
with  which  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  beheld  her; 
for  she  was  of  a  tanned  or  swarthy  colour,  and  this 
had  been  caused  by  exposure  to  the  sun,  in  the  dis- 
charge of  menial  services,  to  which  she  had  been 
compelled  by  her  kindred.*  She  shrinks  from  their 
admiration,  by  a  consciousness  of  unworthiness.  She 
had  beauty,  as  travellers  even  now  speak  of  Arab 
women  met  with  in  Syria,  who,  though  swarthy,  have 
good  features.  Zenobia,  the  celebrated  queen  of  Pal- 
myra, is  described  by  historians  as  a  woman  of  re- 
markable beauty,  possessing  a  dark  brown  complex- 
ion, eyes  black,  sparkling,  and  of  an  uncommon  fire,  a 
countenance  highly  animated  and  sprightly,  a  person 
surpassingly  graceful  and  genteel,  with  teeth  white 
as  pearl,  and  a  voice  strong  and  musical.  But 
though  thus  beautiful,  the  spouse  does  not  encourage 

*  D'Arvieux  observes  of  the  Arabs  of  the  Holy  Land,  that 
though  the  ordinary  -women  are  extremely  tawny,  yet  the 
princesses  are  not  so,  but  of  a  very  fair  complexion,  being 
always  kept  from  the  sun.  Shaw  made  a  like  observation  as 
to  the  women  of  Barbary.  Thevenot  states  that  when  he 
travelled  into  Mesopotamia,  though  he  wore  on  his  head  a 
great  black  handkerchief,  like  a  woman's  hood,  which  sort  of 
handkerchiefs  the  Turks  commonly  use  upon  the  road,  yet  his 
forehead  was  scorched  many  times,  and  his  hands  continually. 


176  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

them  to  admire  her  for  her  beauty;  she  rather 
entreats  them  to  turn  away  from  her  their  gaze, 
because  she  felt  that  over  her  beauty  had  been 
thrown  a  shade. 

Communion  with  Jesus  leads  the  soul  enjoying  it 
to  shrink  from  courting  the  attention  and  admiration 
of  men,  even  of  our  fellow  Christians:  "Look  not 
upon  me,  because  I  am  black."  The  desire  of  ap- 
plause is  deeply  rooted  in  the  natural  heart,  and  is 
as  universal  and  strong  as  the  love  of  gold.  Pursuit 
of  this  seems  the  business  for  which  many  irreligious 
persons  are  living.  From  the  frail  beauty  flutter- 
ing in  the  ball-room,  to  the  politician  with  his  wily 
schemes,  and  the  soldier  seeking  "the  bubble  reputa- 
tion at  the  cannon's  mouth" — all  are  trying  to  push 
themselves  into  notoriety,  and  their  feeling,  though 
policy  keeps  it  unuttered,  is,  Look  on  me,  see  how 
worthy  I  am  of  admiration. 

"Fame  is  the  spur  that  the  clear  spirit  doth  raise, — 
That  last  infirmity  of  noble  minds, — 
To  scorn  delights,  and  live  laborious  days."* 

This  principle,  springing  from  vanity,  is  seen  in  weak 
minds  no  less  than  in  the  highest  genius,  in  poor  as 
well  as  in  rich,  in  the  obscure  no  less  than  in  the 
most  exalted.  Hard  is  it  for  the  believer  to  get  this 
propensity  eradicated;  and  often  does  it  injure,  even 
destroy,  the  ambassador  of  Christ.  Grace  crucifies  us 
to  the  world,  makes  us  see  through  the  speciousness  of 
"the  things  of  the  world,"  abates  our  desire  for  them, 

*  Milton's  Lycidas. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  177 

and  absorbs  the  soul  in  a  passion  for  the  honour  that 
is  from  God.  It  makes  us  see  our  vileness  and  weak- 
ness, so  as  to  feel  unworthy  of  any  commendation, 
and  realize  how  dangerous  is  praise  to  the  good  of 
the  soul.  Hence  those  whom  Jesus  loves  are  often 
subjected  to  humiliation  and  mortification  from  the 
world,  for  training  them  to  a  renunciation  of  the 
pride  which  is  the  root  of  ambition,  and  for  obliging 
them  to  cultivate  lowliness  of  heart.  So  far  from 
seeking  worldly  honour  and  applause,  he  who  is  our 
example,  when  he  perceived  that  they  would  come 
and  take  him  by  force  to  make  him  a  king,  departed 
again  into  a  mountain  himself  alone.  John  vi.  15. 
In  Ps.  cxxi.  5,  "The  Lord  is  thy  shade  upon  thy 
right  hand ;  the  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day,  nor 
the  moon  by  night ;  the  Lord  shall  preserve  thee  from 
all  evil,  he  shall  preserve  thy  soul;"  the  sun  is  repre- 
sented as  the  source  of  the  evils  from  which  we  need 
to  be  screened,  and  Jehovah  as  our  protection  and 
shade.  Thus  the  words  "  the  sun  hath  looked  upon 
me,"  express  the  cause  of  this  injury  to  the  beauty 
once  natural  to  the  soul,  the  withering  and  darkening 
effects  of  sin,  of  the  divine  justice  blazing  forth  towards 
us  as  a  consuming  fire.  This  sense  of  inward  depravity, 
of  the  hateful  effects  of  sin  on  the  heart,  better  known 
to  ourselves  than  any  others  through  the  illumination 
of  the  Spirit,  makes  us  shrink  from  the  applause  of 
men,  and  feel  unworthy  of  the  favour  of  God.  Far 
from  the  desire  of  climbing  to  the  conspicuous  emi- 
nence of  worldly  fame,  we  seek  to  withdraw  in  quiet- 
ness to  the  calm  retreats  found  in  the  "shadow  of  the 
1G 


178  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

great  Rock  in  a  weary  land."  With  Moses,  we 
prefer  the  solitude  of  Horeb  to  the  splendour  of  the 
court  of  Egypt.  The  cause  of  the  comeliness  or 
beauty  of  the  soul  is  not  noticed  in  this  verse,  as  it 
springs  so  evidently  from  communion  with  our  Lord, 
"in  his  chambers,"  at  the  throne  of  grace,  where 
"we  all  with  open  face  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image 
from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord." 

Love  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  special  tokens  of  his  fa- 
vour, meekness,  and  lowliness  of  heart,  are  no  security 
against  hatred  and  ill-treatment  from  the  world,  and 
even  from  followers  of  Christ.  Such  was  the  case 
of  Jesus  on  earth;  we  must  expect  the  same.  "My 
mother's  children  were  angry  with  me,*  they  made  me 
the  keeper  of  the  vineyards."f  This  was  a  work 
laborious  and  menial.  Those  whom  Nebuzaradan  left 
for  vine-dressers  and  husbandmen  were  the  poor  of 

*  "In  the  East,  the  husband  is  a  stern  and  unfeeling  despot; 
his  harem,  a  group  of  trembling  slaves.  The  children  espouse 
with  ardour,  unknown  to  those  who  are  placed  in  other  cir- 
cumstances, the  cause  of  their  own  mother,  while  they  regard 
their  common  father  with  indifference  or  terror.  It  greatly 
aggravated  the  affliction  of  David,  that  he  had  become  an  alien 
to  his  mother's  children,  Ps.  lxix.  8;  the  enmity  of  his  breth- 
ren, the  relations  of  his  father's  other  wives,  or  his  more 
distant  relatives,  gave  him  less  conoern." — Stackhouse's  History 
of  the  Bible,  book  viii.  chap.  4. 

f  "Great  care  was  taken  to  preserve  the  clusters  of  the  vine 
from  the  intrusion  of  birds;  and  boys  were  constantly  em- 
ployed, about  the  season  of  the  vintage,  to  frighten  them  with 
a  sling  and  the  sound  of  the  voice." — Wilkinson's  Ancient 
Egyptians,  vol.  ii.  149. 


SONG    OF     SOLOMON.  179 

the  land.  2  Kings  xxv.  12.  The  blessings  promised  to 
his  people  by  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  are  repre- 
sented by  freedom  from  this  service.  "  The  sons  of 
the  alien  shall  be  your  ploughmen  and  your  vine- 
dressers." Isa.  lxi.  5.  Well  is  it  that  the  saints  have 
been  made  to  feel  that  the  Saviour's  kingdom  is  not 
of  this  world.  Temporal  power  is  as  prone  to  ruin 
the  Church,  as  riches  and  ease  are  to  ruin  individual 
Christians.  Feeling  the  uncongenial  and  hostile  spirit 
of  the  world,  the  young  believer  fondly  trusts  to 
find  among  his  fellow  Christians  the  sanctuary  of  a 
brotherhood,  unclouded  by  envy,  undisturbed  by  a 
jar.  Experience  shows  how  fallacious  was  his  expec- 
tation. The  remains  of  corruption  in  the  hearts  of 
good  men  prove  elements  of  dissension,  discord,  and 
collision.  The  love  of  power,  desire  of  prominence, 
jealousy  of  rivals  in  ability  and  influence,  frequently 
excite  to  efforts  for  keeping  down  brethren  whose 
offence  is  that  they  are  apparently  superior  in  learn- 
ing, piety,  or  usefulness.  "Whence  come  wars  and 
fightings  among  you?  come  they  not  hence,  even  oi 
your  lusts?"  Jas.  iv.  1.  While  sanctification  remains 
imperfect,  these  tendencies  to  discord  will  more  or  less 
frequently  rise  above  the  control  of  grace,  as  well  as 
surmount  the  influence  of  natural  affection.  Members 
of  irreligious  families  are  yet  exposed  to  persecution 
on  becoming  pious ;  and  the  believer  often  finds  a 
man's  foes  are  they  of  his  own  household  of  faith. 
The  same  unhallowed  principle,  not  yet  entirely 
uprooted  by  grace,  is  the  cause  of  the  ill  treatment 
and  ill  feeling  received  by  the  humble  saint  from  the 


180  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

wicked  world,  from  other  religious  denominations, 
and  from  members  of  the  same  church.  How  com- 
mon for  different  sects,  even  of  evangelical  Christians, 
to  endeavour  to  injure,  if  not  destroy,  each  other's 
influence,  when  their  energies  combined  against  the 
enemies  of  all  religion,  would  produce  little  enough 
impression ;  when  there  is  more  than  a  sufficiency  for 
them  all  to  do  in  converting  the  world;  and  when 
each  is  designed  by  the  Head  of  the  Church  to  exert 
an  influence,  and  occupy  a  position  the  other  is  not 
adapted  to  fill.  The  spirit  of  detraction  and  selfish- 
ness, so  rife  in  the  world,  will  never  be  entirely 
banished  from  the  Church,  till  we  reach  the  spirits  of 
just  men  made  perfect.  Among  those  of  the  same 
sect,  how  common  for  such  as  live  near  to  Christ  to 
be  envied,  maligned,  and  ill  treated  by  their  brethren. 
Speaking  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a  contrite  spirit, 
and  trembleth  at  his  word,  the  Holy  Spirit  says: 
"Your  brethren  that  hated  you,  that  cast  you  out 
for  my  name's  sake,  said,  Let  the  Lord  be  glorified : 
but  he  shall  appear  to  your  joy,  and  they  shall  be 
ashamed."  Isa.  Ixvi.  5.  In  his  last  affecting  address 
to  them,  Jesus  insists  strongly  on  his  disciples  loving 
one  another,  because,  among  other  reasons  therefor, 
they  would  be  hated  by  the  world,  John  xv.  17;  and 
though  the  intolerance  among  rival  sects,  and  the 
envy  often  apparent  in  Christian  brethren,  may  be 
overruled  for  good,  just  as  other  sin  may  be,  Ps. 
lxxvi.  10,  those  show  themselves  to  have  departed 
most  from  the  temper  of  the  world,  and  come  nearest 
to  Jesus,  who  strive  not  to  pull  down  others,  but 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  181 

cultivate  love  to  Christ's  people  wherever  found, 
manifesting  kindness  and  forbearance  towards  the 
persecuting  spirit  yet  hanging  around  them,  as  well 
as  towards  the  malice  of  the  impenitent. 

The  soul  thus  blest  with  Jesus'  love,  feels  and 
confesses  its  omissions,  short-comings,  and  neglect  of 
duty;  "my  own  vineyard  have  I  not  kept."  A  sense 
of  unworthiness  increases  with  growth  in  grace.  As 
advancement  in  learning  makes  us  more  sensible  how 
little  avc  know,  so  the  more  we  increase  in  Christian 
activity,  the  more  active  do  we  wish  to  be,  and  the 
more  painfully  are  we  conscious  of  deficiencies.  No 
man  feels  so  acutely  how  far  he  falls  below  the  full 
measure  of  holy  duties,  pious  zeal,  and  heavenly  love, 
as  he  who  is  growing  up  nearest  to  the  stature  of  a 
perfect  one  in  Christ.  lie  who  has  done  most  for  the 
Redeemer  feels  himself  to  have  done  least.  Our  obli- 
gations to  Jesus  are  seen  to  be  so  great,  love  to  him 
would  so  constrain  us,  that  after  stretching  our  powers 
to  the  utmost,  we  are  ready  to  weep  that  we  do 
no  more.  Though  the  trust  committed  to  us  has  been 
kept,  we  are  humbled  with  the  consciousness  that  in 
many  respects  it  might  have  been  kept  with  greater 
faithfulness.  Duties  have  been  neglected,  opportuni- 
ties of  usefulness  misimproved,  watchfulness  unheeded, 
prayer  offered  with  coldness,  temptation  tampered 
with,  self-denial  too  little  exercised,  every  thing,  in- 
deed, however  laborious  our  piety,  bearing  traces  of 
the  imperfection  inseparable  from  earth,,  and  filling 
us  with  deep  humiliation.  With  contrition  and  tears, 
we  acquiesce  in  the  words  of  Jesus,  "When  ye  shall 
16* 


182  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

have  done  all  those  things  which  are  commanded  you, 
say,  We  are  unprofitable  servants."  Luke  xvii.  10. 
The  moral  man  will  look  with  complacency  on  some 
trifling  deeds  done  for  religion,  thinking  he  is  con- 
ferring an  honour  on  Christ,  and  is  showing  a 
praiseworthy  condescension  in  such  a  work  of  super- 
erogation: our  feeling  is,  "in  many  things  we  come 
short  all."  Many  duties  have  been  crowded  out  of 
place  by  selfish  desires;  and  with  those  which  have 
been  done  are  mingled  many  imperfections,  and  much 
of  an  improper  spirit.  Sensible  of  these  things,  we 
feel  the  uprightness  of  God  in  his  chastisements,  even 
when  from  the  hands  of  brethren,  rather  than  of  the 
wicked ;  and  instead  of  fretting  against  our  Father  in 
heaven,  or  complaining  of  those  who  misuse  and 
oppress,  we  find  in  our  own  unworthiness  more  than 
sufficient  reason  for  all  these  ills,  and  are  filled  with 
wonder  that  our  blessings  are  yet  so  numerous,  and 
our  sorrows  so  few,  that  while  we  deserve  a  sea  of 
troubles,  God  has  sent  only  a  surge.  Grace  makes 
the  believer  feel  painfully,  how  much  more  closely  he 
might  have  walked  with  God,  how  much  more  his 
privileges  might  have  been  improved. 

Ver.  7. — Tell  me,  0  thou  whom  my  soul  loveth,  where 
thou  feedest,  where  thou  makest  thy  flock  to  rest  at  noon : 
for  why  should  I  be  as  one  that  turncth  aside  by  the  flocks 
of  thy  companions  ? 

For  carrying  out  the  design  of  the  allegory,  this 

regal    encampment   is   here   represented   as   moving 

from  place  to   place,  in  search    of  green   pastures, 

cooling  shades,  and  still  waters,  under  the  guidance 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  183 

of  their  shepherd-king.  The  spouse  having  been 
received  so  kindly  and  feeling  increased  ardour  of 
affection,  wishes  to  follow  the  beloved,  not  merely  as 
one  among  the  mixed  multitude,  but  enjoying,  as  she 
had  already,  the  pleasure  of  his  pavilion  and  society.* 
The  first  burst  of  desire  from  the  pious  heart  is  for 
the  fulness  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  in  verse  2;   this 

*  "It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  the  appearance  of  a 
large  tribe,  like  that  we  now  met,  when  migrating  to  new 
pastures.  We  found  ourselves  in  the  midst  of  wide-spreading 
flocks  of  sheep  and  camels.  As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  to 
the  right,  to  the  left,  and  in  front,  still  the  same  moving  crowd. 
Long  lines  of  asses  and  bullocks  laden  with  black  tents  and 
variegated  carpets;  boys  driving  flocks  of  lambs;  horsemen 
armed  with  their  long  tufted  spears,  scouring  the  plain  on 
their  fleet  mares;  riders  urging  their  dromedaries  with  their 
short  hooked  sticks,  and  leading  their  high-bred  steeds  by  the 
halter;  colts  galloping  among  the  throng;  high-born  ladies 
seated  in  the  centre  of  huge  wings,  which  extended  like  those 
of  a  butterfly  from  each  side  of  the  camel's  hump,  and  are  no 
less  gaudy  and  variegated.  Such  was  the  motley  crowd 
through  which  we  had  to  wend  our  way  for  several  hours. 
When  we  reached  the  encampment,  our  horses,  as  well  as  our- 
selves, were  exhausted  by  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  the  length 
of  the  day's  journey.  The  tents  were  pitched  on  a  broad  lawn 
in  a  deep  ravine;  they  were  scatered  in  every  direction,  and 
amongst  them  rose  the  white  pavilions  of  the  Turkish  irregular 
cavalry." — Layard's  Nineveh,  vol  i.  91.  "Looking  to  the  east, 
flocks  and  herds  were  seen  spreading  through  the  undulating 
valleys.  In  one  place,  we  saw  many  of  them  gathered  together 
under  a  shady  tree,  waiting  till  the  excessive  heat  of  noon 
should  be  abated.  At  other  times,  the  shepherds  gather  the 
flocks  beside  a  well,  as  we  afterwards  saw  at  Lebonah,  where 
many  hundreds  were  lying  down  around  the  well's  mouth." — 
Mission  of  Inquiry  to  the  Jews,  p.  109. 


184  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

creates  the  anxious  wish  to  run  after  Jesus,  ver.  4; 
and  this  feeling  receives  its  gratification  in  being 
brought  to  intimate  communion  Avith  our  Lord,  ver.  4. 
The  soul  thus  blessed  desires  to  follow  Jesus  whither- 
soever he  goeth,  Rev.  xiv.  4 ;  John  x.  27 ;  and  when 
this  Shepherd-king  goes  abroad  to  take  charge  of  his 
flock,  we  would  go  with  him,  anxious  to  be  with  him 
in  difficulty,  fatigue,  and  danger,  no  less  than  amid 
the  luxuries  of  his  palace.  The  formalist  and  luke- 
warm have  their  view  occupied  with  the  difficulties 
and  self-denial  likely  to  be  encountered ;  the  spiritual 
Christian  has  his  attention  so  engrossed  with  the  love- 
liness of  Christ,  as  to  overlook,  or  encounter  with 
alacrity,  all  obstructions  in  reaching  the  presence  of 
his  Lord. 

This  results  from  the  intensity  and  energy  of  his 
love — a  love  such  that  his  whole  soul  seems  melted 
down  into  this  one  affection,  and  its  delighted  expres- 
sion is,  "0  thou  whom  my  soul  loveth."  When  love 
to  Jesus  is  compared  with  love  felt  for  any  thing  that 
may  be  a  man's  ruling  passion,  such  as  the  love  of 
fame,  of  power,  of  money,  we  are  far  from  doing  it 
justice.  These  are  strong;  but  far  stronger  is  love 
to  Jesus.  In  these  cases  there  is  but  one  solitary 
thing,  and  that  an  inferior  one,  to  satisfy  all  the 
cravings  of  all  the  powers  of  the  soul;  the  one  pro- 
pensity is  only  partially  satisfied,  and  the  other  affec- 
tions are  still  more  restless.  But  in  Christ,  love  tak- 
ing the  lead,  as  its  most  exalted  exercise  is  in  cleav- 
ing to  an  object  as  far  above  every  other  as  the 
Creator  is  above  the  thing  created,  all  the  faculties 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  185 

find  in  him  the  richest  field  for  activity;  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  does  in  the  meantime,  open  to  us  his 
loveliness,  and  brace  up  every  fibre  of  the  soul  for 
beholding,  adoring,  and  loving  him;  so  that  all  our 
energies  are  concentrated  on  this  one  point  of  love  to 
Christ,  and  thus  drawn  to  a  focus,  burn  with  a 
heavenly  radiance,  a  consuming  fervour.  Love  to 
Christ  thus  becomes  the  strongest  passion  which  can 
take  possession  of  the  soul  of  man.  Husband,  wife, 
children,  father,  mother,  life,  however  fondly  cherish- 
ed, are  so  much  less  loved,  that  in  comparison  with 
Jesus  they  may  be  said  to  be  hated.  Matt.  x.  37 ; 
Luke  xiv.  26.  By  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  who 
makes  us  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  wc  are 
through  this  love  so  absorbed  in  Jesus  as  to  be  one 
with  him ;  so  that  as  Christ  thus  dwells  in  our  hearts, 
and  being  thus  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  we  know 
his  love  which  passeth  knowledge,  we  are  filled  with 
all  the  fulness  of  God,  and  approximate  to  the  feeling 
enjoined  in  the  command,  "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind." 
Luke  x.  27.  With  what  depth  of  blessedness  does 
the  soul  then  look  earnestly  towards  Jesus,  and  say : 
"  0  thou  whom  my  soul  loveth !" 

"Tell  me,  where  thou  feedest;" — where  thou  dost 
watch  over  thy  flock  as  a  shepherd; — where  I  may 
be  under  thy  care  as  my  shepherd.  The  word  "feed" 
in  this  verse,  as  well  as  in  Isa.  xl.  11,  Rev.  vii.  17, 
means  to  discharge  the  office  of  a  shepherd.  As  in  the 
services  of  the  law,  a  variety  of  sacrifices  and  purifica- 


186  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

tions  was  necessary,  because  no  one  type  could  pre- 
figure every  thing  necessary  to  be  known  about  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  work  of  purchasing  redemption ;  so,  vari- 
ous illustrations  are  used  for  showing  the  different  re- 
lations he  sustains  to  the  saints,  in  applying  the  bene- 
fits of  his  purchase.  The  blessedness  of  the  seasons 
when  we  are  favoured  with  delightful  communications 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  set  forth  by  communion  with 
the  king  in  his  chambers;  but  as  our  course  is  long 
and  lies  through  difficulties,  trials,  and  dangers, 
wherein  we  are  of  ourselves  helpless  and  need  the 
superintending  care  of  an  all-powerful  hand,  Jesus  is 
represented  as  a  shepherd ;  Ps.  xxiii.  1,  as  the  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  souls,  1  Pet.  ii.  25 ;  as  the  chief 
Shepherd,  1  Pet.  v.  4;  as  the  great  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep,  Heb.  xiii.  20.  This  includes  protection,  guid- 
ance, provision  for  the  soul,  pastures  and  waters,  and 
company  with  our  Lord.  There  are  places  where 
Jesus  may  be  thus  found;  and  as  the  sheep  that  wan- 
ders from  the  shepherd  loses  these  benefits,  we  must 
be  careful  to  keep  near  him,  among  his  flock.  He 
has  a  variety  of  pastures  into  which  he  leads  his 
flock,  all  increasing  in  richness  and  luxuriance,  as  we 
draw  nearer  to  the  limits  of  this  wilderness  and  the 
borders  of  the  promised  land  in  heaven.  At  first, 
under  his  pastoral  care,  these  green  pastures  and  still 
waters  of  the  spiritual  life  are  found  at  inteiwals,  like 
the  green  spots  in  the  desert,  wells  of  water  and 
palm-trees,  with  many  a  weary  journey  between;  but 
as  we  draw  nearer  to  heaven,  more  frequent  evidences 
are  met  of  our  approaching  a  better  country;   the 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  187 

desert  tracts  are  less  desolate  and  less  extensive ;  the 
verdure  grows  richer,  as  lying  more  nearly  under  the 
influence  of  a  more  refreshing  than  Hermon's  dews ; 
until  at  length  we  pass  over  into  that  good  land, 
where  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
shall  feed  us,  and  shall  lead  us  into  living  fountains 
of  waters.  In  the  illimitable  wilderness  around  us, 
how  can  we  find  these  precious  spots,  without  his 
guidance  ?  If  we  rest  in  green  pastures,  it  is  he  that 
makes  us  lie  down  there;  if  we  repose  beside  the  still 
waters,  it  is  he  that  leads  us  thither.  The  world  has 
many  alluring  scenes  for  drawing  us  away  from 
Christ ;  but  we  wish  to  come  away  even  from  Leba- 
non and  Hermon,  Song  iv.  8,  to  leave  Egypt  itself, 
and  Goshen,  for  Horeb,  desolate  as  it  may  seem,  if 
there  we  may,  like  Moses,  find  the  good  Shepherd,  in 
the  attractive  manifestations  of  his  glory.  Exod. 
iii.  2.  Tell  me — make  me  to  know  by  the  inward  voice 
of  thy  Spirit,  and  by  the  outward  guidings  of  thy  pro- 
vidence, where  and  what  are  those  situations  and 
occupations  in  life,  and  those  seasons  pervaded  by 
more  than  usual  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in 
which  I  may  dwell,  not  by  my  own  choice,  but  by 
thine  appointment,  and  there  enjoy  unceasing  thy 
gracious  presence  and  thy  shepherd-care. 

""Where  thou  makest  thy  flock  to  rest  at  noon."* 

-x-  "'Tis  raging  noon;  and,  vertical,  the  sun 
Darts  on  the  head  direct  his  forceful  rays. 
Welcome,  ye  shades !  ye  bowery  thickets,  hail ! 
Around  th'  adjoining  brook  that  purls  along 
The  vocal  grove,  now  jutting  o'er  a  rock, 


188  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

At  noon,  they  led  their  flocks  aside  into  the  shade, 
and  by  wells  or  streams,  that  they  might  be  sheltered 
from  the  oppressive  heat,  and  enjoy  the  refreshment 
of  cool  waters.  Gen.  xxix.  7.  "  They  shall  feed  in  the 
ways,  and  their  pastures  shall  be  in  all  high  places.- 
They  shall  not  hunger  nor  thirst;  neither  shall  the 
heat  nor  sun  smite  them:  for  he  that  hath  mercy  on 
them  shall  lead  them,  even  by  the  springs  of  water 
shall  he  guide  them."  Isa.  xlix.  10,  Ezek.  xxxiv.  13. 
The  day  has  not  more  certainly  its  noon,  a  time  when 
in  the  East  all  are  glad  to  seek  repose  in  the  shade,  by 
springs,  to  slake  their  consuming  thirst,  than  has  the 
life  of  the  believer  its  period  of  trial  and  sorrow.  In 
following  our  Lord,  we  must  expect  not  only  to  enjoy 
seasons  when  every  thing  in  the  spiritual  life  is  calm, 

Now  scarcely  moving  through  a  reedy  pool, 
Now  starting  to  a  sudden  stream,  and  now 
Gently  diffused  into  a  limpid  plain ; 
A  various  group  the   herds  and  flocks  compose." 

— Tliomson's  Summer. 
We   might  further   mention   in    illustration   the   Culex   of 
Virgil,  vcr.  116. 

"  Now  at  the  shepherd's  call,  the  kids  once  more 
Seek  the  deep  shade,  their  devious  rambles  o'er, 
Where  murmuring  waters  wash  tlr*  o'erhanging  moss 
And  limpid  steal  along  the  blue-tinged  fosse. 
While  from  his  mid-day  course  the  sunbeams  beat, 
To  shades  the  shepherd  and  his  flock  retreat." 
And  again,  Georg.  iii.  331. 

"  When  noon-tide  flames,  down  cool  sequestered  glades, 
Lead  where  some  giant  oak  the  dell  o'ershades, 
Or  where  the  gloom  of  many  an  ilex  throws 
The  sacred  darkness  that  invites  repose." 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  189 

dewy,  and  refreshing,  like  the  morning;  but  also  to 
encounter  times  when  all  things  conspire  to  weary, 
discourage,  and  exhaust  the  spirit  with  the  withering 
power  of  an  oriental  noon.  But  there  are  at  such 
times,  wells  and  fountains  in  this  wilderness,  like 
these  which  were  concealed  in  the  desert,  and  to 
which  the  wearied  hosts  of  Israel  were  led  by  "the 
Shepherd  of  his  flock."  They  are  known  to  our  good 
Shepherd,  and  he  will  so  guide  us,  that,  like  Jesus, 
wearied  with  his  journey,  and  sitting  on  Jacob's  well 
at  noon,  John  iv.  6,  we  may,  when  worn  with  the 
difficulties  of  our  pilgrimage,  sit  there,  and  drink,  and 
with  joy  draw  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation. 
There  is  an  "hour  of  temptation,"  Rev.  iii.  10,  and 
an  hour  of  affliction.  These  are  sure  to  follow  any 
remarkable  communication  of  grace  to  us.  It  was 
directly  after  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that 
Jesus  was  tempted  by  the  devil.  In  all  these  times, 
when  the  soul  is  ready  to  wither  under  the  power  of 
trials  and  sorrows,  Jesus  has  provided  "  a  tabernacle 
for  a  shadow  in  the  day-time  from  the  heat."  Isa.  iv.  5. 
To  this  refuge  will  he  lead  his  chosen  ones;  and 
there,  in  time  of  trouble,  he  will  hide  us  in  his 
pavilion,  in  the  secret  of  his  tabernacle  will  he  hide 
us.  Wearied  with  the  assaults  of  Satan ;  worn  with 
toil;  oppressed  with  grief;  with  the  cherished  objects 
that  requited  our  affection,  gone  by  death;  and  those 
from  whom  we  have  a  right  to  expect  better  things, 
treating  us  with  neglect,  ingratitude,  and  scorn,  how 
anxiously  does  the  soul,  feeling  there  is  but  the  one 
object,  even  Jesus,  left  for  it  to  love,  seek  his  hand  to 
IT 


190  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

guide  us  where  there  is  shelter  from  evil,  and  where 
on  his  bosom  the  weary  are  at  rest.  "And  the  sheep 
hear  his  voice,  and  he  calleth  his  own  sheep  by  name, 
and  leadeth  them  out;  and  when  he  putteth  forth  his 
own  sheep,  he  goeth  before  them,  and  the  sheep  fol- 
low him,  for  they  know  his  voice."  John  x.  3,  4. 

"For  why  should  I  be  as  one  that  turneth  aside  by 
the  flocks  of  thy  companions?"*     The  divine  love 

*  Concerning  tbe  precise  import  of  the  word  here  rendered 
"turneth  aside,"  interpreters  are  divided.  It  properly  means 
"to  cover;"  and  the  feminine  participle  "covered,  veiled;" 
that  is,  Why  should  I  be  as  one  veiled  among  the  flocks  of  thy 
companions, — Why  should  I,  as  a  faithless  harlot,  turn  away 
from  thee  with  an  unsteady,  erring  love,  and  seek  among  those 
connected  with  the  flocks  of  thy  companions  some  new  and 
improper  object  of  affection.  Thus,  Gen.  xxxviii.  15,  "He 
thought  her  to  be  an  harlot,  because  she  had  covered  her  face." 
Not  only  did  she  wish  to  seek  no  other  love;  she  wished  to 
avoid  even  a  suspicion  of  not  being  entirely  devoted  to  him; 
and  consequently  desired  to  know  precisely  where  she  might 
find  him,  without  having  to  make  the  inquiries,  and  to  incur 
the  treatment  afterwards  met  with  from  the  watchmen.  Chap. 
v.  7.  Hence,  Mcrcerus  happily  remarks,  "The  spouse  wishes 
to  create  the  impression  of  her  devoted  affection,  as  though 
there  were  danger  while  she  wanders  about  inquiring  for  him, 
that  she  be  taken  for  a  harlot."  According  to  Kitto,  "it  is 
customary  for  all  the  women  inhabiting  town3  to  go  about 
closely  veiled;  while  all  the  women  of  the  different  pastoral 
people  who  live  in  tents  do  not  commonly  wear  veils,  or  at 
most  only  so  far  as  to  cover  their  foreheads  and  lower  parts  of 
the  face,  leaving  the  countenance  exposed,  from  the  eyebrows 
to  below  the  nose.  It  is  evident,  that  although  the  use  of 
complete  coverings  was  known,  the  women  of  the  pastoral 
patriarchs  did  not  conceal  their  faces  completely,  except  on 
extraordinary  occasions." — Illustrated  Commentary,  Gen.  xx.  1G. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  l(Jl 

which  constrains  us  to  follow  Jesus  with  earnest  self- 
denial  wherever  he  may  see  best  to  lead,  whether 
through  dark  and  rough  valleys,  or  into  the  most 
refreshing  pastures;  which  makes  us  seek  his  direction 
in  trouble,  and  rest  in  the  covert  in  which  he  would 
then  have  us  to  abide,  does  equally  incline  us  to 
dread  any  liability  of  being  led  astray  from  him,  and 
to  avoid  following  any  but  Jesus.  Companions  of 
Jesus  are  mentioned  in  Acts  i.  21,  John  xv.  27, 
Luke  i.  2 ;  they  were  the  Apostles.  Sin  consists  in 
apostasy  from  God.  It  creates  in  the  heart  a  repul- 
sion to  God,  and  a  disposition  to  occupy  the  powers 
of  the  soul  with  any  thing  in  preference  to  the 
Creator.  Whatever  the  manifestations  of  God,  how- 
ever attractive  and  glorious,  depravity  so  changes  our 
constitution  as  to  carry  us  away  from  Jehovah  by  its 
natural  opposition  to  holiness.  It  is  the  nature  of  a 
sinful  being  to  fall  away  from  God.  Such  cannot  be 
drawn  and  kept  near  the  Fountain  of  light  and  life, 
the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  without  the  restraining 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  From  God,  as  mani- 
fested in  Paradise,  in  the  flood,  on  Sinai,  sinful  man 
turned  spontaneously  away;  and  when  at  last  he 
disclosed  himself  to  us  in  the  fulness  of  grace  and 
truth  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  same  native  propensity 
towards  evil  and  darkness  inclines  us  to  adopt  the 
teachings  of  others  rather  than  of  Christ;  to  worship 
and  serve  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator  thus 
incarnate ;  to  turn  aside  from  the  Redeemer,  even 
though  no  farther  than  after  his  companions.  From 
the  first  there  was  a  disposition  to  say,  "I  am  of 


192  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

Paul,  and  I  of  Apollos,  and  I  of  Cephas."  1  Cor. 
i.  12.  And  ever  since,  much  of  the  divisions  among 
Christians  has  sprung  from  the  disposition  to  turn 
away  from  God  even  in  Christ,  and  cleave  to  men,  to 
church  organizations  or  forms  of  doctrine,  to  any 
thing,  indeed,  though  an  idol  or  a  crucifix,  if  thereby 
the  Author  of  our  being,  the  Spirit  of  holiness,  may 
be  displaced  from  the  heart.  Even  when  holding 
firmly  to  Christ,  we  find  within  us  a  propensity  to 
model  our  religious  life  after  the  example  of  our  pious 
associates,  without  thinking  of  rising  above  the  gen- 
eral tone  of  feeling  around  us,  and  to  take  as  the 
pattern  to  which  our  ambition  and  efforts  for  holiness 
aspire,  the  life  of  some  eminent  saint,  rather  than 
the  glorious  righteousness  of  Christ.  This  love,  as 
here  expressed,  desires  to  follow  Jesus  only,  to  take 
his  example.  Unsatisfied  with  being  led  by  any 
other,  we  feel  with  Bunyan's  Pilgrim,  "Wherever  I 
have  seen  the  print  of  his  shoe  in  the  earth,  there  I 
have  coveted  to  set  my  foot  too."  Taking  his  truth 
as  the  first  rule  of  duty,  and  his  life  as  the  only 
perfect  representation  of  what  ours  should  be,  we 
study  to  be  not  so  much  like  any  development  of 
piety  in  any  saint  however  eminent,  as  to  be  like 
Christ.  While  valuing  church  organizations,  this  love 
puts  them  in  their  proper  place,  without  letting  them 
come  between  the  soul  and  Christ,  and  rejoices  in  the 
prosperity  of  religion  among  undoubted  Christians, 
even  though  not  of  its  own  sect.  Phil.  i.  18.  While 
these  means  of  grace,  creeds,  and  denominations,  are 
seen  necessary  in  the  present  state  of  man,  we  are 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  103 

able  to  feel  they  are  trivial  things  in  comparison  with 
Jesus,  to  be  done  away  in  heaven.  1  Cor.  xiii.  10. 
Through  this  divine  love  absorbing  the  soul,  we  are 
able  in  a  measure  to  rise  in  our  desires,  above  every 
thing  else,  however  closely  allied  to  him,  and  feel 
Christ  to  be  all  in  all.  Like  many  things  and  asso- 
ciations viewed  as  very  important  during  childhood, 
but  lost  sight  of  under  weightier  considerations  in 
riper  years,  these  earthly  things,  even  those'  essen- 
tially connected  with  religion,  will  be  seen  in  their 
true  proportions,  and  sink  down  into  their  proper 
place,  when  that  which  is  perfect  shall  come,  and  that 
which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away  in  heaven. 

Ver.  8. — If  thou  know  not,  0  thou  fairest  among 
women,  go  thy  way  forth  by  the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  and 
feed  thy  kids  beside  the  shepherds'  tents. 

These  words  are  an  answer  to  the  inquiry  in  the 
foregoing  verse.  It  is  necessary  for  the  good  of 
those  having  too  high  an  opinion  of  themselves,  that 
they  be  reproved  and  humbled:  there  are  pious 
spirits  so  borne  down  by  humbleness  of  heart,  as  to 
need  encouragement.  Some  must  be  held  in  with 
bit  and  bridle;  others  are  so  lowly  they  may  be 
guided  by  the  good  Shepherd's  eye,  Ps.  xxxii.  9, 
and  need  encouragement  by  his  speaking  to  their 
heart.  Among  the  latter,  are  those  having  the  state 
of  mind  expressed  in  verses  5  and  6,  "I  am  black, 
but  comely,  &c."  Jesus  seeing  the  lowliness  of  such, 
and  unwilling  to  break  the  bruised  reed,  comforts 
them,  and  says,  "0  thou  fairest  among  women." 
While  the  pious  arc  despised  by  the  world,  as  pos- 
17* 


19-1  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

sessing  nothing  of  loveliness,  Jesus  looking  on  the 
heart,  beyond  the  mere  accomplishments  of  person 
and  manners,  beholds  the  saint  as  the  fairest  among 
the  sons  of  men.  Heart  has  very  little  if  any  thing 
to  do  with  beauty  among  the  fashionable  world. 
The  most  accomplished  there,  is  most  heartless. 
Speaking  of  the  court  of  Louis  XV.  a  writer  ob- 
serves, "Generations  of  luxury  had  given  to  the 
manner  of  court-minions  the  polish  of  steel,  and  its 
hardness  to  their  hearts."  All  is  outward  polish  and 
grace,  while  inward  deformity  and  corruption.  The 
devotee  of  fashion  is  at  best  but  a  whited  sepulchre, 
beautifully  garnished  to  the  eye,  but  full  of  all  un- 
cleanness;  his  courtly  bearing  an  embroidered  pall, 
which  it  has  been  the  whole  business  of  his  life  to 
weave,  covering  from  the  view  of  men,  perhaps  of 
himself,  spiritual  loathsomeness  and  death.  God,  who 
is  love,  begins  his  estimate  of  beauty,  by  taking  into 
consideration,  first  of  all  the  heart,  and  the  heart 
purified  by  love.  Whatever  our  outward  circum- 
stances, even  though  unfavourable  in  appearance  as 
those  of  Lazarus,  we  are  beautiful  in  his  eyes,  if  the 
heart  be  filled  with  the  limpid  and  life-giving  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Having  thus  received  encouragement,  so  that  by 
knowing  the  opinion  had  of  her  by  the  beloved,  the 
spouse  might  be  cheered  onward  in  following  him, 
she  was  prepared  to  hear  the  duty  that  is  enjoined  in 
reply  to  her  inquiry :  If  thou  know  not,  if  you  are 
at  any  time  in  doubt,  go  thy  way  forth  by  the 
footsteps  of  the  flock,  follow  the  example  of  those 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  195 

gone  before  you  to  glory.  The  same  direction  is 
given  in  Heb.  vi.  10 — 12.  They  are  exhorted  to 
"be  not  slothful,  but  followers  of  them  who  through 
faith  and  patience  inherit  the  promises."  This  is  to 
be  done  with  a  diligence  continued  to  full  assurance 
of  hope,  and  on  to  the  end.  The  state  of  heart  thus 
acceptable  with  God,  and  inclining  us  to  those  ways 
where  are  the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  shows  itself  in 
works  and  labours  of  love,  manifested  towards  the 
name  of  Jesus,  by  ministering  to  his  saints.  Christ 
is  given  as  our  example:  "Leaving  us  an  example 
that  ye  should  follow  his  steps."  1  Pet.  ii.  21.  We 
are  to  follow  the  saints  as  they  follow  Christ.  1  Cor. 
xi.  1.  It  is  necessary  to  have  the  examples  of  both 
constantly  before  us.  If  the  Scriptures  had  given 
nothing  but  doctrines  in  a  didactic  form,  we  must 
have  had  difficulty  in  comprehending  and  obeying 
them.  We  require  something  sensible  and  tangible ; 
we  must  see  the  thing  not  only  described,  but  done 
before  our  eyes.  There  is  in  the  mind  a  propensity 
to  personify  abstract  things,  arising  from  the  extreme 
difficulty  of  making  them  otherwise  intelligible  to 
beings,  who,  like  us,  derive  their  knowledge  mainly 
through  the  senses.  When  the  poets  would  make 
their  instructions  attractive  and  impressive,  they  re- 
sort to  personification;  and  try  to  represent  abstract 
truths  as  nearly  as  they  can  be  represented,  by  alle- 
gorical forms.  With  this,  the  ancient  mythology 
abounds.  The  Jewish  ritual  was  formed  on  this 
principle.  In  making  to  the  Jews  promises  and 
threatenings,   God   often   had   them    symbolized   by 


196  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

both  acts  and  things.  Thus  the  truths  of  religion 
brought  down  from  time  to  time  into  the  darkness 
of  our  world,  like  rays  of  glory  from  heaven,  were 
not  left  to  shoot  afar  at  random,  but  have  been  con- 
centrated, embodied,  clothed  with  a  living  form,  in 
the  person  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  of  him  may  be  said 
with  truth,  what  was  said  of  a  heathen  god ; 

"Each  conception  was  a  heavenly  guest, 
A  ray  of  immortality,  and  stood 
Star-like  around  until  they  gathered  to  a  God."* 

There  is  danger  of  overlooking  Christ  as  our  exem- 
plar, while  receiving  him  as  our  teacher.  It  is  re- 
quired in  an  instructor  that  himself  should  do  what 
he  teaches  others.  This  was  eminently  done  by 
Jesus  when  sojourning  on  earth.  While  receiving 
his  teachings,  we  must  study  to  find  how  he  carried 
out  the  spirit  of  such  instructions,  in  his  actions. 
The  artist  who  seeks  perfection  in  painting  or  stat- 
uary, devotes  himself  to  the  study  of  the  works  of  the 
best  masters  and  the  models  of  antiquity.  God  has 
set  forth,  in  the  incarnation  of  Christ,  a  perfect  mo- 
del for  those  who  would  attain  moral  perfection.  As 
ancient  temples  were  ornamented  with  statues  and 
sculpture,  so  in  the  temple  of  our  God  in  heaven, 
there  will  be  pillars,  Rev.  iii.  12,  living  statues, 
wrought  out  from  the  living  stones  here  found  in  the 
horrible  pit,  of  which  the  cherubim  and  palm-trees 
carved  in  the  golden  walls  of  the  earthly  temple  were 
the  foreshadowing,  1  Kings  vi.  29;  Ezek.  xli.  18;  and 

*  Childe  Harold,  Canto  4,  clsii. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  197 

those  of  us  avIio  are  co-workers  with  God  in  forming 
our  souls  for  that  position  of  glory,  can  accomplish 
our  trust,  can,  under  the  co-operating  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  have  our  whole  man  reduced  to  the 
beauty  of  holiness,  only  by  taking  as  our  model,  him 
in  whom,  when  on  earth  in  human  form,  did  all  the 
fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwell.  It  has  ever  been  a 
device  of  Satan,  to  draw  attention  away  from  Jesus 
to  his  saints — first  from  his  example,  and  then  from 
his  instructions — to  the  lives  of  martyrs  and  the 
teachings  of  the  fathers,  as  they  are  called.  When 
he  cannot  succeed  in  doing  both,  he  will  be  satisfied 
in  turning  our  view  from  the  example  of  Christ,  while 
we  retain  our  hold  on  his  word.  He  knows  that  in 
proportion  to  the  degree,  he  can  thus  turn  the  eye 
from  Jesus,  the  only  perfect  teacher  and  perfect 
model,  will  be  his  success  in  introducing  error;  be- 
cause no  man  is  infallible,  either  in  doctrine  or  prac- 
tice,* and  accordingly,  those  who  are  content  with 
human  guides,  may  be  more  easily  corrupted  by 
imbibing  their  errors.  The  coldness  of  many  Protes- 
tants springs  from  losing  sight  of  the  living  example 
of  Christ,  while  his  word  may  be  retained  and  per- 
haps studied ;  the  errors  of  Popery  arise  from  dis- 
placing both  the  word  and  the  example  of  Jesus,  and 
giving  the  attention  to  the  doctrines  and  lives  of  the 
so-called  saints. 

But  the  example  of  the  followers  of  Christ,  is 
nevertheless  of  great  value.  In  many  things,  Jesus 
cannot  be  imitated.  While  found  in  fashion  as  a 
man,  there  are  things  which  he   could  not  have  in 


198  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

common  'with  our  nature.     He  was  a  man,  but  a  man 
■who  did  no  evil,  "who  was  sinless.     In  devotion  to  the 
will  of  God,  in  bearing  reproach,  in  all  things  per- 
taining to  holy  living,  he  is  a  perfect  model.     But 
there  are  spiritual  exercises  arising  from  our  being 
fallen  sinners,  and  in  a  course  of  sanctification,  that 
Jesus  could  never  know.     Regeneration,  repentance, 
contrition,  conversion,  temptations  to  sin  caused  by 
corruptions  of  the  heart,   are  things   he  could   not 
have   personally    experienced:    these   things   modify 
the  whole  tenor  of  our  spiritual  exercises ;  and,  con- 
sequently, if  we  are  to  enjoy  on  this  ground,  the  ad- 
vantage of  any  who  has  been  before  us,  this  must  be 
found,  not  in  the  history  of  Jesus,  but  in  the  lives  of 
his  people.     The  fall  of  David,  his  recovery  and  the 
feeling  attending  this  recovery,  as  given  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, is  necessary  for  the  encouragement  of  the  saint 
under  discipline:  the  same  is  true  of  the  exercises  of 
Paul,  mentioned  in  Rom.  vii.  15 — 25,  and  2  Cof.  xii. 
7 — 9.     Nothing  in  the  life  of  Christ  could  furnish 
features  of  an   example  for   our  encouragement  in 
cases  like  these.     We  need  doctrinal  statements,  such 
as  our  Lord  has  given,  of  what  we  should  be,  and  of 
the  means  by  which  we  can  become  such ;  the  exam- 
ple of  a  perfect  model  like  Jesus,  towards  which  to 
be  conformed;  and  the  example  of  fallen  men  in  pro- 
cess of  restoration  by  grace  to  the  image  of  Christ, 
that  through   the   knowledge  of  their  exercises  we 
may  have   warning,   consolation,   and   hope.     Great 
encouragement  is  derived  from  studying  the  lives  of 
those  who  have  been  among   us,  and   have   passed 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  199 

through  like  difficulties  and  conflicts  to  glory.  Good 
biographies  are  valuable  to  the  saint  as  an  exhibition 
of  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  of  God's 
gracious  dealings  with  those  in  course  of  deliverance 
from  the  dominion  of  sin.  With  these  marks  so 
numerous — thus  compassed  about  ■with  so  great  a 
cloud  of  witnesses — we  need  not  wander,  as  did 
Joseph,  and  get  bewildered  when  seeking  his  breth- 
ren with  their  father's  flock  in  Dothan,  Gen.  xxxvii. 
15 ;  but  are  enabled  to  ask  for  the  old  paths,  where 
is  the  good  way,  and  find  rest  for  our  souls.  Jer. 
vi.  16. 

"And  feed  thy  kids  beside  the  shepherds'  tents!" 
While  Jacob  was  waiting  at  the  well,  Rachel  came 
with  her  father's  sheep,  for  she  kept  them,  Gen.  xxix. 
9;  and  the  daughters  of  the  priest  of  Midian  came 
and  watered  their  father's  flock.  Exod.  ii.  16.  The 
direction  to  the  spouse  is,  In  feeding  thy  kids,  keep 
near  to  the  shepherds'  tents,  and  thou  shalt  find  me 
at  noon  in  the  midst  of  my  sheep.  Jesus  said  unto 
Peter,  "Feed  my  lambs,"  John  xxi.  15;  and  our 
Lord  "shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd;  he  shall 
gather  the  lambs  with  his  arms,  and  carry  them  in 
his  bosom."  His  ministers  are  the  under-shepherds. 
Jesus  is  to  be  sought  by  following  in  the  footsteps 
marked  out  for  his  people;  and  by  waiting  for  him 
near  the  shepherds'  tents,  in  the  use  of  the  means  of 
a  regular  ministry,  and  by  "feeding  the  kids,"  that 
is,  in  the  discharge  of  duties  of  usefulness  to  the  souls 
of  others,  particularly  the  young.  Christ  is  not  to  be 
found  in  retirement  only,   "in  his  chambers:"   by 


200  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

following  these  directions,  we  may  enjoy  Lis  presence 
amid  the  active  duties  of  life.  While  religion  requires 
us  to  be  much  alone  with  God,  it  also  requires  us  to 
be  much  with  man,  especially  the  brethren  and  the 
ministry.  They  are  appointed  by  Jesus  in  his  stead, 
and  must  be  esteemed  highly  for  his  sake.  In  the 
exercise  of  his  sovereignty,  God  may  renew  and  save 
souls  without  the  regular  means  of  grace ;  but  this  is 
the  exception,  not  the  rule.  Grain,  fruit,  and  choice 
flowers,  may  be  found  on  remote  islands,  where  no 
hand  has  sown  or  tilled;  yet  this  does  not  show 
it  is  not  our  duty  to  labour,  if  we  expect  to  live. 
These  words  include  the  duty  of  keeping  ourselves 
under  the  influence  of  all  the  means  of  the  sanctuary, 
at  the  head  of  which  stands  the  ministry  of  the  word. 
With  this,  must  be  joined  active  usefulness.  While 
bound  to  offer  the  sacrifice  of  praise  continually,  we 
must  not  forget  to  do  good,  and  to  communicate. 
Heb.  xiii.  15.  The  deepest  spirit  of  love,  and  of 
acquaintance  with  the  glory  of  Jesus,  is  not  found  in 
seclusion,  nor  in  action  alone,  but  in  the  two  com- 
bined. Activity,  to  a  certain  extent,  is  the  life  of 
our  whole  being;  without  this,  the  body  shrivels,  the 
mind  withers;  nor  are  we  more  certainly  broken 
down  by  over-taxing  the  powers,  than  by  continuance 
of  sluggish  repose.  The  development  of  our  spiritual 
life  follows  the  same  law.  Like  the  seasons  of  rest 
and  sleep  for  the  body,  times  of  withdrawal  from  the 
world,  and  of  seclusion  with  our  Lord,  are  essential 
for  recruiting  our  spiritual  energies ;  but  those  ener- 
gies, when  thus  renewed,  will  not  expand  into  their  full 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  201 

vigour,  unless  we  use  them  for  running  without  weari- 
ness, and  walking  without  faintness,  in  the  ways  and 
duties  of  the  Lord.  There  is  something  which  every 
Christian  may  do,  and  must  do,  in  feeding  the  Church 
of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood. 
"Feeding  the  kids"  requires  that  we  be  careful  in 
training  our  household  in  the  ways  of  the  Redeemer ; 
that  we  do  good  to  those  whom  we  may  find,  by  seek- 
ing opportunity,  in  our  daily  walk ;  and  that  in  the 
Sabbath-school,  we  labour  according  to  our  situation, 
in  training  the  young  to  follow  Jesus.  The  spirit  of 
these  words  has  its  perfect  fulfilment  in  the  faithful 
instruction  of  their  children  by  parents,  and  in  the 
unobtrusive  but  important  duties  of  the  teacher  in 
the  Sabbath-school.  There,  are  the  young  of  the 
flock  gathered  under  the  shadow  of  the  shepherds' 
tents,  and  happy  are  those  servants  who  are  found 
thus  employed  when  the  good  Shepherd  appears  in 
the  midst  of  his  fold.  "Blessed  is  that  servant  whom 
his  Lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  so  doing."  Matt. 
xxiv.  46. 

Ver.  9. — I  have  compared  thee,  0  my  love,  to  a  com- 
pany of  horses  in  Pharaoh's  chariots. 

In  this  encampment,  where  the  bridal  company  are 
now  supposed  to  be,  the  king  would  have  his  most 
splendid  erp^ipage;  the  Egyptian  horses  were  celebra- 
ted for  their  beauty,  "they  were  even  exported  to  the 
neighbouring  countries,  and  Solomon  bought  them 
at  a  hundred  and  fifty  shekels  of  silver,  from  the 
merchants  who  traded  with  Egypt  by  the  Syrian 
18 


202  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

desert."*  In  modern,  as  well  as  in  ancient  times,  the 
mares  are  considered  in  all  respects  most  beautiful, 
valuable,  and  desirable.  Such  a  steed  in  a  chariot, 
like  that  which  Solomon  had  brought  out  of  Egypt  by 
his  agents,  for  six  hundred  shekels  of  silver,  was  an 
object  of  great  beauty  to  the  eye,  especially  when 
adorned  with  the  costly  trappings  then  usual.  The 
beloved  does  therefore  naturally  compare  the  bride  to 
such  a  horse  in  these  words,  which  would  be  more 
correctly  rendered,  "I  compare,  thee,  my  love,  to  my 
chariot-steed,  or  mare,  from  Pharaoh;"  or  to  my 
Egyptian  chariot-steed.  Though  unusual  in  the  pre- 
sent age,  this  comparison  will  appear  beautifully 
appropriate,  when  we  call  to  mind  still  further  the 

"x"  Wilkinson's  Anc.  Egyptians,  vol.  iii.  35.  "It  was  mid- 
day before  we  found  a  small  party  that  had  stopped  and  were 
pitching  their  tents.  A  young  chestnut  mare,  belonging  to  the 
sheik,  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  creatures  I  ever  beheld. 
As  she  struggled  to  free  herself  from  the  spear  to  which  she 
was  tied,  she  showed  the  lightness  and  elegance  of  the  gazelle. 
Her  limbs  were  in  perfect  symmetry;  her  ears  long,  slender, 
and  transparent;  her  nostrils  high,  dilated,  and  deep  red;  her 
neck  gracefully  arched,  and  her  mane  and  tail  of  the  texture 

of  silk Two  sheiks   rode  into  the    encampment,   and 

hearing  that  the  chief  was  with  us,  they  fastened  their  high- 
bred mares  at  the  door  of  our  tent,  and  seated  themselves  on 
our  carpets Sofuk  was  the  owner  of  a  mare  of  match- 
less beauty,  called,  as  if  the  property  of  the  tribe,  Shammeri- 
yah.  .  .  .  No  one  can  look  at  the  horses  of  the  early  Assyrian 
sculptures  without  being  convinced  that  they  were  drawn  from 
the  finest  models." — -LayarcVs  Nineveh,  vol.  i.  91. 

The  superiority  of  the  mares  at  the  Olympic  games  is 
repeatedly  referred  to  in  the  classic  authors. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  203 

affectionate  adoration  and  tenderness  with  which  these 
animals  are  regarded  by  the  orientals.  Theocritus 
has  adopted  the  same  illustration: 

As  towers  the  cypress  mid  the  garden's  bloom, 
Or  in  the  chariot  proud  Thessalian  steed, 
Thus  graceful  rose-complexioned  Helen  moves.* 

Having  called  the  spouse  "fairest  among  women," 
in  reply  to  her  inquiry  after  him  in  ver.  8,  the  Holy 
Spirit  proceeds  to  express  the  impression  had  by  our 
Lord,  of  the  beauty  of  the  saint,  by  the  endearing 
words,  "my  love."  This  shows  the  deep,  devoted, 
pre-eminent,  and  tender  love  of  Jesus  for  his  people. 
Among  all  his  creatures,  there  can  be  none  for  whom 
he  has  a  stronger  affection  than  for  the  redeemed. 
Towards  these  he  bears  a  three-fold  love.  To  the 
original  affection  felt  for  them  as  for  the  holy  angels 
and  all  his  creatures,  is  superadded  the  tenderness 
necessarily  arising  towards  those  for  whom  he  has 
thus  suffered,  and  the  love  arising  from  forming  them 

*  The  words  of  Horace  are  well  known.  Odes,  lib.  iii.  11. 
Thus  Sophocles: 

E'en  as  a  high-bred  steed,  though  old,  retains 
His  mettle  still  in  danger,  and  his  ears 
Pricks  upright ;  so  thou  us  dost  onward  urge 
And  art  the  first  to  follow. — Elcctra,  25. 

The  epithet  "magnanimous"  is  often  applied  to  the  horse  by 
the  ancients,  as  in  Virgil,  JEa.  iii.  701,  who  speaks  of  "noble- 
spirited  horses,"  produced  in  the  country  of  the  Agrigentines, 
who  were  famous  for  sending  superior  horses  to  the  Olympic 
games.  We  need  hardly  add  that  the  same  word  is  very 
commonly  applied  to  heroes. 


204  COMMENTARY     ON    Til  E 

a  second  time  as  new  creatures.  His  love  for  the 
unfallen  inmates  of  heaven,  is  the  love  felt  by  him  as 
their  Creator :  his  love  to  the  saints  has  the  three-fold 
strength  resulting  from  creation,  redemption,  and 
sanctification. 

In  Rev.  iv.  8,  and  Ezek.  i.  10,  the  living  crea- 
tures had  faces  like  different  animals,  emblematic  of 
various  qualities  of  the  mind.  The  horse  is  here 
referred  to  as  the  emblem  of  the  saint;  and  as  the 
best  horses  came  from  Egypt,  and  of  these  the  finest 
were  in  the  chariot  of  the  king,  so  whatever  excel- 
lences this  emblem  expresses,  must  exist  in  the  great- 
est perfection  in  the  believer.  Contemplating  the 
saint  as  following  him  through  the  difficulties  of 
pilgrimage  in  the  wilderness,  with  self-denial,  energy, 
and  perseverance,  Jesus  would  intimate  by  this  com- 
parison, that  there  is  in  the  Christian  character 
something  noble,  adapted  to  impress  us  with  respect, 
and  to  command  our  admiration.*  The  feeling  of 
unrenewed  men  towards  religion  is  still  the  same — 
"Can  any  good  thing  come  out  of  Nazareth?"  With 
them  piety  is  in  disrepute,  as  fitted  for  base  and 
ignoble  minds,  as  incompatible  with  true  honour.  As 
war  was  the  favourite  and  most  honourable  employ- 

*  These  Arabian  horses  are  noble  animals,  and  are  no  less 
remarkable  for  their  chivalrous  disposition,  than  for  their 
strength  and  endurance:  gallant,  yet  docile;  fiery,  yet  gentle; 
full  of  mettle,  yet  patient  as  a  camel.  The  head  is  beautiful : 
the  expansive  forehead,  the  brilliant,  prominent  eye,  and  the 
delicately  shaped  ear,  would  testify  to  nobleness  in  any  ani- 
mal."—  Warburton's  Travels. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  205 

merit  of  the  Romans,  virtue  was  in  their  language 
synonymous  with  courage.  And  the  word  honour 
will  have,  among  different  classes  of  men,  a  meaning 
varying  according  to  the  traits  of  character  which,  in 
their  view,  show  the  highest  excellence.  Thus,  with 
some  persons,  truth  is  made  almost  the  sole  test  of 
honour;  and  the  honourable  man,  in  their  judgment, 
is  the  man  who,  whatever  other  vices  he  has,  will  not 
lie.  With  others,  honour  consists  in  promptitude  and 
severity  in  avenging  an  insult. 

True  honour  lies  in  the  possession  and  practice  of 
the  most  exalted  virtues.  Among  the  irreligious  in 
Christendom,  public  sentiment  has  been  so  affected 
by  religion,  that  the  word  honour  is  brought  nearer  to 
its  true  meaning  than  among  even  the  most  refined 
heathen ;  yet  how  glaring  and  palpable  are  the  vices 
which  the  world  cherish  and  associate  with  what  they 
call  honour.  That  man  makes  the  nearest  approach 
to  honour,  and  has  the  true  claim  on  our  admiration, 
who  has  concentrated  in  his  heart,  and  embodies  in 
his  actions,  most  of  the  purest  moral  virtues.  He 
shows  something  better  than  the  ragged  and  meretri- 
cious excellence  in  which  "gallantry  atones  for  every 
vice."  The  trait  which  has  in  every  age  been  assum- 
ed as  the  basis  of  honour,  whatever  else  might  be  its 
aspect,  is  the  principle  which  prompts  to  exposure  of 
comfort  and  life  to  peril  for  the  good  of  others.  This 
is  the  principle  which  stands  preeminent  in  the  cha- 
racter of  Christ.  He  exhibits  the  noblest  magnani- 
mity,  honour  unallied  with  any  imperfection.  His 
IS* 


206  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

people  must  be  like  him  in  self-denying  benevolence, 
and  expose  themselves  for  the  welfare  of  enemies  no 
less  than  friends. 

"Honest  courtesy, 
Which  oft  is  sooner  found  in  lowly  sheds 
"With  smoky  rafters,  than  in  tap'stry  halls 
And  courts  of  princes,  where  it  first  was  named, 
And  yet  is  most  pretended."* 

There  is  nothing  on  which  men  of  the  world  pride 
themselves,  that  religion  does  not  give  in  the  full 
measure  of  absolute  perfection  to  the  saints.  Noble- 
ness of  soul,  courtesy,  excellence  of  heart,  beauty  of 
appearance,  objects  of  such  desire  to  the  fashionable, 
are  gifts  dispensed  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  not  to 
many  rich,  not  to  many  wise,  not  to  many  noble,  but 
to  the  poor  of  this  world,  and  will  be  enjoyed  at  last 
in  greater  perfection  by  Lazarus  than  by  the  proudest 
princes.  All  the  excellences  that  have  adorned  all 
the  great  and  noble  of  the  world,  and  made  their  cha- 
racter the  admiration  of  ages,  would  not  form  a  single 
cluster  so  rich  as  the  many  found  in  the  bosom  of  the 

*  Milton's  Comus,  322.— Thus,  the  following  from  iEschy- 
lus: 

Integrity  burns  a  lamp  with  brilliant  beams, 

In  smoky  cottages, 
And  crowns  with  honour  purity  of  life. 
But  turning  with  averted  eyes  away 
From  gilded  prosperity  with  polluted  hands, 

Draws  nigh  to  goodness : 
Not  honouring  wealth  stamp'd  with  a  counterfeit  impression 

By  false  applause  of  men. — Agamemnon,  709. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  207 

humblest  saint.*  The  world  despise  religion  as  over- 
looking what  is  honourable,  because  they  judge  of  piety 
by  what  they  see  in  the  actions  of  professing  Chris- 
tians, rather  than  by  the  words  of  Scripture  and  the 
example  of  Christ.  And  in  their  judgment  of  pious 
men,  they  overlook  their  virtues,  through  eagerness  to 
contemplate  their  failings.  Should  the  heroes  of  the 
world's  idolatry  be  estimated  according  to  the  same 
rule,  by  neglecting  their  little  excellence  and  summing 
up  the  many  vices  with  which  this  single  good  trait  is 
in  union,  worldly  honour  would  appear  a  very  beggarly 
and  worthless  thing.  Piety,  as  seen  in  God's  people 
here,  is  at  best  a  conflict  of  grace  with  corruption,  a 
yearning  and  struggling  after  perfection.  Because 
dishonourable  doings  are  found  in  those  called  by 
Christ's  name,  it  by  no  means  follows  these  are  in- 
tegral elements  of  pure  religion.  Whatever  mean- 
ness may  be  seen  in  God's  people,  is  owing  not  to 
their  religion,  but  to  their  remaining  corruptions.  If 
a  real  Christian  exhibit  anything  of  meanness,  not- 

*  Sir  Walter  Scott  says:  "I  have  read  books  enough,  and 
observed  and  conversed  with  enough  of  eminent  and  splendid- 
ly cultivated  minds,  too,  in  my  time  ;  but  I  assure  you,  I  have 
heard  higher  sentiments  from  the  lips  of  poor  uneducated  men 
and  women,  when  exerting  the  spirit  of  severe  yet  gentle  he- 
roism under  difficulties  and  afflictions,  or  speaking  their  simple 
thoughts  as  to  circumstances  in  the  lot  of  friends  and  neigh- 
bours, than  I  ever  yet  met  with  out  of  the  pages  of  the  Bible. 
We  shall  never  learn  to  feel  and  respect  our  real  calling  and 
destiny,  unless  we  have  taught  ourselves  to  consider  every 
thing  as  moonshine,  compared  with  the  education  of  the 
heart." — Lochharts  Life  of  Scott,  vol.  ii.  412. 


208  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

withstanding  sanctification  is  begun,  much  more  of 
this  would  be  visible  were  he  entirely  without  grace. 
Charity  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  1  Cor.  xiii. 
5 ;  that  is,  avoids  all  conduct  which  may  be  indecorous, 
or,  in  common  estimation,  unbecoming  a  follower  of 
Christ. 

"The  best  of  men 
That  e'er  wore  earth  about  him  was  a  sufferer, 
A  mild,  meek,  patient,  humble,  tranquil  spirit, 
The  first  true  gentleman  that  ever  breathed."* 

Grace  elevates  the  fallen  soul  of  man;  and  giving 
it  a  heavenly  nobleness,  imparts  an  honour  which,  like 
its  courage,  is  above  fear  and  above  reproach.  In 
their  idolatry  of  heroism  the  world  are  willing  to 
overlook  the  many  defects,  even  vices,  of  the  hero,  in 
admiration  of  his  gallant  bearing;  and  to  deify  one 
who  has  but  the  single  virtue  of  courage  to  redeem 
a  character  marked  by  almost  all  other  imaginable 
vices.  Let  them  judge  of  the  nobleness  inseparable 
from  piety,  by  looking  not  at  the  imperfections  of  the 
man,  but  at  his  virtues;  not  at  the  dark  and  corrupt 
soil,  but  at  the  stateliness  of  the  growth  and  beauty 
of  the  flowers,  which  the  creative  energy  of  the  Spirit 
is  evolving  from  that  mass  of  corruption. f     Homer 

*  Decker. 

f  "There  is  not  any  kind  of  spirit  in  the  world  so  noble  as 
that  spirit  that  is  in  a  Christian,  the  very  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ, 
that  great  King,  the  Spirit  of  glory,  as  the  Apostle  calls  it, 
1  Pet.  iv.  14.  This  is  a  sure  way  to  ennoble  the  basest  and 
poorest  among  us;  this  royalty  takes  away  all  attainders,  and 
leaves  nothing  of  all  that  is  past  to  be  laid  to  our  charge,  or  to 
dishonour  us." — LeigMon  on  1  Pet.  ii.  9. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  209 

gives  a  majestic  portrait  of  his  hero  on  appearing 
again  to  his  foes,  when  Minerva  threw  over  his  shoul- 
ders her  terrific  eegis,  and  crowned  his  head  with  a 
golden  cloud  from  which  burned  an  all-brilliant  flame. 
And  when  God  sends  forth  to  the  good  fight  of  faith, 
to  wrestle  with  wicked  spirits  in  high  places,  no  less 
than  with  flesh  and  blood,  the  soul  of  the  believer 
weeping  for  sin;  covered  with  the  shield  and  buckler 
of  those  divine  truths  more  precious  and  adorned  with 
richer  sculpture  than  all  the  gold  and  silver  of  all  the 
shields  of  the  earth;  and  with  that  brilliancy  of  which 
the  cloud  over  the  mercy-seat  was  the  emblem,  burn- 
ing on  his  brow;  even  the  hosts  of  enemies  of  such 
soul,  whether  evil  spirits  or  evil  men,  are  compelled  to 
gaze  on  such  a  character  with  reverence,  even  while 
using  every  exertion  to  destroy  it: 

"  So  spake  the  Cherub,  and  his  grave  rebuke, 
Severe  in  youthful  beauty,  added  grace, 
Invincible:  abashed  the  devil  stood, 
And  felt  how  awful  goodness  is,  and  saw 
Virtue  in  her  shape  how  lovely." 

A  low  and  sordid  disposition  is  the  offspring  of  man's 
corruption,  and  must  vanish  as  he  rises  in  purity  and 
fitness  for  heaven.  By  the  grace  which  is  carrying 
our  fallen  nature  back  to  the  perfection  of  Paradise, 
we  cannot  but  be  ennobled. 

The  horse  is  here  mentioned  as  the  emblem  of  the 
energy  belonging  to  piety.  Sloth,  lack  of  energy, 
indolence,  detract  from  any  character.  We  look  for 
energy  in  what  we  would  admire;  not  the  energy  of 
feverish  irregularity,  but  that  which  results  from  the 


210  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

calm,  harmonious  movement  of  well  balanced  powers. 
The  faculties  of  the  maniac  may  be  vigorous,  but  are 
destitute  of  harmony.  There  is  an  energy  peculiar 
to  the  nature  of  different  beings,  and  this  only  can 
we  admire  in  them.  Grace  diffuses  through  the  soul 
the  energy  which  belongs  to  creatures  like  ourselves 
in  perfection,  but  of  which  we  have  been  despoiled 
through  sin.  A  healthy  mind,  of  good  endowments,  is 
always  active,  perhaps  more  or  less  so,  even  in  hours 
of  sleep.  Perfect  inactivity  is  a  feature  of  perfect 
death ;  and  as  the  soul  sinks  down  under  the  influ- 
ence of  spiritual  death,  the  faculties  become  more  en- 
feebled, and  activity  becomes  a  greater  effort.  Coun- 
teracting this  tendency,  the  Holy  Spirit  opens  in  the 
heart  a  fountain  of  water  springing  up  into  everlast- 
ing life ;  and  makes  us,  while  not  slothful  in  business, 
fervent  in  spirit;  a  divine  energy  rising  in  the  soul, 
like  the  waters  boiling  up  in  a  perennial  spring,  and 
flowing  with  greater  fulness  as  we  draw  nearer  to 
him  with  whom  is  the  fountain  of  life.  Indolence  is 
one  of  the  many  infirmities  from  which  sanctification 
sets  us  free.  Industry  and  perseverance  in  our  call- 
ing, whatever  that  calling  may  be,  prove  a  duty  and 
a  pleasure  to  the  Christian.  How  are  the  flagging 
energies  of  the  soul  roused  into  new  life  by  the 
presentation  of  a  new  motive,  like  the  hope  of  fame; 
and  the  body  recruited  by  the  application  of  a  health- 
ful stimulant.  The  means  provided  for  arresting  the 
decay  of  the  soul  and  restoring  a  perfect  vigour,  are 
the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Compared  with 
these,  how  weak,  how  temporary,  are   all  the  stimu- 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  '211 

lants  which  the  power  of  man  can  bring  to  bear  on 
the  sinking  body  or  the  failing  mind.  Those  who  are 
filled  with  the  Spirit  will  be  active  according  to  their 
capability ;  and  even  when  the  flesh  may  be  weak,  the 
spirit  may  be  willing.  Besides  the  direct  operation 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  feeding  the  powers  with  heavenly 
strength,  there  are  combined  in  action  on  the  heart 
the  noblest  motives  from  without,  heaven,  eternal  life; 
and  the  purest,  strongest  love  within,  affection  to  the 
dying  Redeemer;  the  greatest  of  works  to  be  done 
under  the  strongest  of  motives,  and  with  the  most 
encouraging  aid.  What  a  calm  yet  steady  energy 
appears  in  the  example  of  Christ !  From  the  work- 
shops of  Nazareth,  and  from  the  wilderness,  from 
nights  spent  alone  in  the  mountains  in  prayer,  did  he 
go  forth  on  his  ministry,  to  heal  the  sick  and  preach 
in  their  cities.  How  abundant  in  labours  was  Paul ! 
in  all  these  the  love  of  Christ  constrained  him. 

The  horse  may  be  the  symbol  of  an  activity  that 
does  not  tire.  The  idea  of  beauty  includes  that  of  an 
elastic  vigour  of  the  frame,  light,  free  from  heaviness, 
and  with  power  of  enduring  fatigue  and  exposure.* 

*  "Thus  I  set  my  printless  feet 
On  the  cowslip's  velvet  head, 
That  bends  not  as  I  tread." — Comus,  897. 
"E'en  the  light  hare-bell  raised  its  head, 
Elastic  from  her  airy  tread." — Lady  of  the  Lake. 
"Unwearied  as  in  the  morning,  my  gallant  mare  dashed 
away  over  the  rocky  valley,  exulting  in  her  strength  and  speed. 
She  pressed  against  the  powerful  Mameluke  bit,  as  if  its  curb 
were  but  a  challenge,  and  it  was  only  by  slackening  the  rein 


212  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

These  characteristics  are  imparted  in  perfection  to 
the  body  and  soul,  by  grace.  So  light,  elastic,  and 
airy,  shall  be  the  tread  of  the  spiritual  body,  so  dif- 
ferent from  the  care-worn  footsteps  with  which  we 
now  drag  along  this  body  of  corruption,  that  we  shall 
at  last  be  like  the  angels,  not  liable  to  death  any 
more,  being  the  children  of  the  resurrection.  Luke 
xx.  36.  While  other  pursuits  bring  weariness  and 
satiety,  the  Christian  life  grows  more  interesting  and 
pleasing.  Retirement  from  business,  with  an  inde- 
pendence and  full  honours,  grows  burdensome,  though 
desired  and  laboured  for  through  a  long  life.  After 
a  degree  of  success,  wealth,  and  reputation,  the 
soldier  becomes  weary  of  his  triumphs,  and  longs  for 
repose.  But  the  man  who  is  filled  with  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  cultivates  the  habits  of  contemplation  and 
action  excited  by  grace,  will  find  the  service  of  Jesus 
more  and  more  delightful;  every  act  of  duty  exhausts 
not,  but  renews  his  strength ;  and  though  the  infirmity 
of  the  flesh,  the  dullness  creeping  through  the  bodily 
frame,  from  age,  and  ardent  desire  to  enjoy  the  glory 
of  his  Lord,  may  make  him  anxious  to  flee  away  to 
the  rest  in  heaven,  no  weariness  with  the  work  of 
holiness  and  benevolence  is  felt;  he  is  sensible  that  as 
his  outward  man  perishes,  his  inward  man  is  renewed 
day  by  day,  he  mounts  up  on  wings  as  eagles',  and 
never  is  he  more  willing  to  remain  at  the  post  of 

that  she  could  be  induced  to  pause  over  some  precipitous 
descent,  or  tangled  copse;  then,  tossing  her  proud  head,  she 
would  burst  away  again  like  a  greyhound  from  the  leash." — 
Warburton' s  Travels. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  213 

duty,   never  more  active  in  every  good  work,  than 
■when  the  time  of  his  departure  is  at  hand. 

Ver.  10. — Thy  cheeks  are  comely  with  rows  of  jewels, 
thy  neck  with  chains  of  gold. 

The  chariot-horses  were  in  ancient  times  more 
richly  adorned  than  those  used  for  riding;  "the  har- 
ness and  trappings  of  such  were  extremely  elegant; 
plumes  waved  over  their  heads,  or  fanciful  crests  rose 
gracefully  in  an  arch  above  the  ears,  and  descended 
in  front  to  the  nostrils ;  round  the  neck,  immediately 
at  the  head,  was  an  embroidered  collar,  ending  in  a 
rich  tassel,  or  bell;  the  bit,  as  well  as  many  orna- 
ments of  the  bridle  and  trappings,  were  of  gold,  and 
other  precious  materials."*  A  drawing  given  by 
Layard  of  the  head  of  an  Assyrian  horse,  thus  orna- 
mented, is  certainly  very  beautiful.  The  mention  of 
the  Egyptian  steed  in  ver.  9,  naturally  suggested  the 
reference  here  made  to  the  beautiful  head-dress  of 

*  Layard's  Nineveh,  vol.  ii.  272.  "On  grand  occasions  the 
Egyptian  horses  were  decked  with  fancy  ornaments ;  a  rich 
striped  or  checkered  housing,  trimmed  with  a  broad  border, 
and  large  pendent  tassels,  covered  the  whole  body ;  and  two  or 
more  feathers  inserted  in  lions'  heads,  or  some  other  device  of 
gold,  formed  a  crest  upon  the  summit  of  the  head-stflll.  But 
this  display  was  confined  to  the  chariots  of  the  monarch,  or 
the  military  chiefs." — Wilkinson,  vol.  i.  355.  Thus  when 
Latinus  ordered  the  ambassadors  sent  by  iEneas  to  have 
horses  given  them  on  which  to  return, — in  Virgil — 

"At  his  command 
The  steeds  caparisoned  with  purple  stand 
With  golden  trappings  glorious  to  behold ; 
And  champ  betwixt  their  teeth  the  foaming  gold. 
19 


214  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

the  spouse.  Olearius  tells  us,  that  "all  the  head- 
dress that  the  Persian  ladies  make  use  of,  are  two  or 
three  rows  of  pearls,  which  are  not  worn  there  about 
the  neck,  as  in  other  places,  but  round  the  head, 
beginning  on  the  forehead,  and  descending  down  the 
cheeks,  and  under  the  chin,  so  that  their  faces  seem 
to  be  set  in  pearls.  This  coiffure  seems  to  be  very 
ancient  among  the  Eastern  people."  Royal  brides 
are  represented  by  oriental  authors  as  dressed  after 
this  manner.  So,  when  the  Caliph  Al  Mamon  went 
to  receive  Touran-Dokht,  that  prince  found  her 
seated  on  a  throne,  her  head  loaded  with  a  thousand 
pearls,  every  one  of  them  as  big  as  a  pigeon's  egg, 
or  a  large  nut,  which  rich  coiffure  the  caliph  re- 
solved should  be  assigned  her  for  her  dowry.  D'Ar- 
vieux,  who  describes  the  Arab  women  as  wearing 
pieces  of  gold  coin  hanging  down  by  the  sides  of  the 
face,  adds,  that  they  have  chains  of  gold  about  their 
necks,  which  hang  down  their  breasts.* 

*  Harmer,  20G.  Females  in  the  East  wear  an  ornament  on 
the  forehead,  which  is  made  of  thin  gold,  and  is  studded  with 
precious  stones.  Tyerman  and  Bennet  say  of  a  bride  they 
saw  in  China,  "Her  head-dress  sparkled  with  jewels,  and  was 
most  elegantly  beaded  with  rows  of  pearls  encircling  it  like  a 
coronet;  from  which  a  brilliant  angular  ornament  hung  over 
her  forehead,  and  between  her  eyebrows."  Curzon,  in  his 
"Visits  to  Monasteries  in  the  Levant,"  referring  to  the  Jews 
of  Palestine,  says,  "The  women  are  covered  with  gold,  and 
dressed  in  brocades  stiff  with  embroidery.  Some  of  them  are 
beautiful ;  and  a  girl  of  about  twelve  years  old,  who  was  betrothed 
to  the  son  of  a  rich  old  rabbi,  was  the  prettiest  little  creature  I 
ever  saw ;  her  skin  was  whiter  than  ivory,  and  her  hair,  which 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  215 

The  words  of  this  verse  do,  therefore,  refer  to  the 
rows  or  strings  of  pearls  and  jewels  ladies  were  in  the 
habit  of  wearing  as  part  of  the  head-dress,  and  to  the 
rich  necklaces  with  golden  chains  over  the  bosom. 
Speaking  to  the  Jewish  church  by  Ezekiel,  chap.  xvi. 
11,  the  Holy  Spirit  says,  "I  decked  thee  also  with 
ornaments,  and  I  put  bracelets  upon  thy  hands,  and 
a  chain  on  thy  neck.  And  I  put  a  jewel  on  thy  fore- 
head, and  ear-rings  in  thine  ears,  and  a  beautiful 
crown  upon  thine  head.  Thus  wast  thou  decked  with 
gold  and  silver."  The  comparison  of  the  horse  refers 
to  what  may  be  called  the  vital  energy  or  principle  of 
the  Christian  life:  this  verse  expresses  the  virtues 
which  may  be  superadded  by  grace.  Such  allusions 
are  frequent.  "  They  shall  be  an  ornament  of  grace 
unto  thy  head,  and  chains  about  thy  neck."  Pro  v.  i. 
9.  Wisdom  "shall  give  to  thine  head  an  ornament 
of  grace,  a  crown  of  glory  shall  she  deliver  to  thee." 
Prov.  iv.  9.  "In  like  manner,  also,  that  women  adorn 
themselves   in  modest  apparel,  with  shamefacedness, 

was  black  as  jet  and  was  plaited  with  strings  of  sequins,  fell 
in  tresses  nearly  to  the  ground."  P.  186.  The  sufa  of  the 
modern  Egyptian  females  is  a  head-dress  of  beautiful  network, 
hanging  down  the  back,  and  filled  with  jewels  of  various  kinds. 
This  ornament  is  generally  made  by  dividing  the  hair  into  a 
number  of  tresses,  and  attaching  to  each  tress  three  silken 
threads.  These  threads  have  jewels  attached  to  them,  and  at 
the  end  a  small  gold  coin.  Mr.  Lane  remarks,  "The  sufa 
appears  to  me  the  prettiest,  as  well  as  the  most  singular  of  the 
ornaments  worn  by  Egyptian  ladies.  The  glittering  of  the 
burck,  and  their  clinking  together  as  the  wearer  walks,  have  a 
peculiarly  lively  effect." 


216  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

and  sobriety ;  not  with  broidered  hair,  or  gold,  or 
pearls,  or  costly  array,  but  with  good  works."  1  Tim. 
ii.  9.  "  Whose  adorning,  let  it  not  be  that  outward 
adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold, 
or  of  putting  on  of  apparel ;  but  let  it  be  the  hidden 
man  of  the  heart,  in  that  which  is  not  corruptible, 
even  the  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which 
is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price." 

When  Pharaoh  would  honour  Joseph,  he  took  off 
his  ring  from  his  hand  and  put  it  on  Joseph's  hand, 
and  arrayed  him  in  vestures  of  fine  linen,  and  put  a 
gold  chain  about  his  neck.  Gen.  xli.  42.  Thus,  by 
the  king's  command,  they  put  a  chain  of  gold  about 
the  neck  of  Daniel.  Dan.  v.  29.  And  when,  like 
Joseph,  we  are  drawn  from  the  horrible  pit  of  our 
natural  condition,  and  raised  by  adoption  to  the 
second  rank  in  God's  glorious  kingdom,  even  to  be 
the  sons  of  God,  how  pure  and  rich  the  robe  he  throws 
around  us,  the  same  in  texture  with  that  worn  by 
Jesus,  even  his  resplendent  righteousness;  how  beau- 
tiful those  pearls  of  virtue  and  chains  of  heavenly 
graces,  conferred  by  him,  clustered  together  by  the 
invisible  thread  of  divine  influence,  while  kept  stead- 
fast and  illumined  by  the  golden  clasp  of  love. 
These  the  topaz  of  Ethiopia  shall  not  equal,  neither 
shall  they  be  valued  with  pure  gold;  ornaments  so 
priceless  as  to  be  brought  down  to  us  by  the  hands 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  from  that  world  where  so  excel- 
lent are  all  things,  that  the  very  pavement  of  the 
streets  is  pure  gold,  as  it  were  transparent  glass. 
The  Apostle   enumerates   some   of  the  jewels   thus 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  217 

grouped  together;  "Add  to  your  faith,  virtue;  and 
to  virtue,  knowledge;  and  to  knowledge,  temperance; 
and  to  temperance,  patience;  and  to  patience,  godli- 
ness; and  to  godliness,  brotherly  kindness;  and  to 
brotherly  kindness,  love."  2  Peter  i.  5.  So  beauti- 
ful and  valuable  are  these,  that  a  single  one  of  the 
number  is  above  all  price.  "If  a  man  would  give 
all  the  substance  of  his  house  for  love,  it  would 
utterly  be  contemned."  Song  viii.  7. 

These  virtues,  the  ornament  of  the  saint,  are  some- 
thing distinct  from  his  character  by  nature,  and  are 
superadded  by  grace.  There  are  not  in  our  hearts  the 
germs  of  graces,  lying  like  seeds  in  an  ungenial  soil, 
awaiting  the  beams  of  the  summer  sun  for  warming 
them  into  life  :  our  sanctification,  as  well  as  our  rege- 
neration, is  not  the  development  of  latent  goodness  of 
heart,  but  the  creation  of  those  excellences  which  con- 
stitute holiness.  No  new  faculties  are  added  by  the 
work  of  the  Spirit.  He  does  not  take  of  the  intellec- 
tual powers  belonging  to  a  superior  order  of  beings, 
and  ingraft  them  into  our  soul.  He  gives  life  to  the 
withered  hand,  strength  to  the  palsied  limbs,  and  sight 
to  the  blinded  eye  of  the  soul.  Like  the  author  of 
our  spiritual  being,  rising  as  a  branch  from  the  stem 
or  stump  of  the  decayed  tree  of  Jesse,  there  comes 
forth,  by  the  energy  of  grace,  from  the  roots  of  the 
fallen  trunk  of  our  ruined  soul,  a  shoot  that  grows  by 
sanctification  into  a  tree  of  righteousness.  By  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  soul  darkened  and  changed  to  stone 
through  sin,  is  inlaid  with  eyes  pure  as  the  seven  eyes 
upon  the  stone  laid  before  Joshua,  Zech.  iii.  9 ;  pure 
19* 


218  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

as  those  seven  eyes  of  the  Lamb,  Rev.  v.  6 ;  and  is 
inlaid  with  sensibilities  alive  to  the  faintest  beams  of 
divine  goodness;  and  with  cars  that  gather  home  to 
the  very  core  of  our  being  the  tones  of  the  melting 
voice  of  our  God  ;  and  with  affections  which,  unfolding 
more  beauteous  than  Sharon's  rose,  exhale  a  perfume 
grateful  even  amid  the  odours  of  heaven,  and  gather 
in  their  bosom  the  rays  of  the  Father's  love,  the  drops 
of  the  Spirit's  dews.  What  jewels  of  the  spouse,  so 
beautiful  as  those  endowments !  What  chains  of  gold, 
so  comely  as  these  clusters  of  heavenly  graces ! 

Ver.  11. — We  will  make  thee  borders  of  gold  with  studs 
of  silver. 

The  Hebrew  word  here  rendered  "borders,"  is  the 
same  with  that  rendered  "rows,"  in  ver.  10;  and 
wTould  seem  to  refer  here  to  the  same  kind  of  orna- 
ments.* The  queen  was,  however,  distinguished  by  a 
crown, t  Jer.  xiii.  18;  Ezek.  xvi.  12;  Esth.  ii.  17;  and 

*  In  the  Odyssey,  lib.  xv.,  there  is  much  said  that  refers 
to  the  pursuits  and  skill  of  the  Sidonians,  whose  intercourse 
with  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  Solomon  is  well  known.  Among 
other  things,  there  is  a  reference  which  seems  to  illustrate  this 
test: 

"A  man  of  theirs,  subtle  and  shrewd,  pi-oduced 
A  splendid  collar,  gold  with  amber  strung. 
With  deep  delight,  my  mother  and  her  maids 
Gazed  on  it." — Lib.  xv.  459. 

f  The  Hebrew  word  rendered  "spouse,"  in  Song  iv.  8,  9,  10, 
11,  12,  means  a  crowned  one,  derived  from  a  root  signifying  to 
make  perfect;  and  then  used  to  express  a  bride,  from  the  com- 
pletion put  to  her  attire  by  the  bridal  chaplet  or  crown. 


SONG     OF    SOLOMON.  219 

to  the  crown  these  words  may  refer.  Struck  "with  her 
beauty,  as  adorned  with  rows  of  jewels,  the  king  wishes 
to  give  the  finish  to  her  head-attire,  by  placing  on  her 
a  crown  of  gold,  variegated  with  studs  of  silver.  As 
in  Fs.  xxi.  3 :  "  Thou  settest  a  crown  of  pure  gold  on 
his  head."  There  is  laid  up  for  every  saint  a  crown 
of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord  shall  give  at  that 
day  unto  all  them  that  love  his  appearing.  Whatever 
the  exact  ornaments  here  mentioned,  the  idea  is  that 
the  beloved  would  add  to  the  beautiful  ornaments 
already  worn  by  the  bride,  others  of  the  most  precious 
kind,  devised  and  made  by  himself.  While  the  graces 
considered  under  the  foregoing  verse,  are  developing  in 
this  life,  there  are  in  reserve  in  the  treasury  of  heaven, 
crowning  glories  which  shall  be  received  when  the  chief 
Shepherd  shall  appear.  "  Unto  every  one  that  hath 
shall  be  given."  Those  who  are  faithful  to  their  trust, 
even  though  by  making  their  pound  gain  five  pounds, 
shall  be  made  rulers  over  cities,  kings  unto  God. 
Were  we  presented  by  some  kingly  friend  with  costly 
jewels,  the  same  in  appearance  with  those  worn  by 
himself,  he  would  be  little  likely  to  follow  those  gifts 
with  others  equally  valuable,  did  we  receive  them  with 
eagerness  but  afterwards  appear  without  them,  and 
allow  them  to  lie  neglected,  unworn,  and  bedimmed. 
Neglect  of  the  ring  and  gold  chain  by  Joseph,  would 
have  certainly  drawn  on  him  the  displeasure  of  Pha- 
raoh. By  guarding  faithfully  the  treasures  committed 
to  our  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  shall  find  him 
constantly  adding  to  them,  changing  us  from  glory  to 
glory,  till  the  soul,  all  glorious  within,  with  clothing  of 


220  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

wrought  gold,  emerges  from  its  probation  on  earth 
into  the  unending  bridal  festivities  of  heaven,  fairer 
than  the  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon 
under  her  feet,  and  on  her  head  a  crown  of  stars. 
Success  in  amassing  wealth  depends  on  keeping  and 
using  properly  the  amounts  acquired  from  time  to 
time;  no  reasonable  expectation  can  be  indulged  of 
its  being  otherwise  in  our  efforts  for  gathering  the 
riches  of  God's  grace. 

How  much  more  glorious  and  desirable  must  be  the 
ornaments  thus  conferred  by  Jesus,  than  those  which 
man  elaborates  for  himself.  Desire  of  personal  inde- 
pendence is  a  besetting  sin  of  our  fallen  nature. 
Among  men  of  the  world  much  is  heard  about  self- 
reliance  as  the  spring  of  success  in  life:  with  such 
persons  the  glorification  of  self  is  the  chief  thing; 
and  they  wish  the  impression  made  that  this  fabric  of 
fortune  is  the  work  of  their  own  wisdom  and  power ; 
they  hate  the  idea  of  dependence  even  on  him  who 
formed  the  machinery  of  their  intellect,  even  of  their 
whole  being,  and  without  the  stream  of  whose  living 
influence  that  machinery  must  instantly  cease  to  move. 
With  the  nature  of  the  characters  thus  formed, 
we  are  familiar.  Their  portraits  are  recorded  in 
colours  of  selfishness,  pride,  ambition,  and  blood. 
However  ill-disguised  by  vanity  and  policy,  the  smo- 
thered sentiments  of  such  hearts,  on  viewing  their 
doings,  position,  and  success,  are,  "Is  not  this  great 
Babylon  that  I  have  built  by  the  might  of  my  power, 
and  for  the  honour  of  my  majesty."  Dan.  iv.  30. 
Reputation,  influence,  riches,  every  thing  thus  rely- 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  221 

ing  on  self  as  its  foundation,  must  be  unsubstantial 
as  a  fabric  resting  on  the  vapour  that  appeareth  for  a 
little  time  and  then  vanisheth  away.     All  such  hopes 
and  structures  of  pride  are  so  fragile  and  unreal,  that 
a  breath  of  air  may  blast  them,  and  reduce  their  pos- 
sessors to  a  condition  as  friendless  and  pitiable  as  that 
to  which   the   haughty  king  of  Babylon  was  brought 
down  by  a  voice  that  fell  from  heaven  while  yet  the 
word  was  in  his  mouth.    Like  the  palace  of  ice,  fairy- 
like in  appearance  yet  repulsively  cold,  built  on  a  foun- 
dation underneath  which  was  a  hidden  river  ready  to 
swallow  it  up  at  the  return  of  spring,  all  the  labours 
of  human  pride  and  self-reliance,  for  rearing  a  fabric 
of  happiness  and  renown,  must  issue  in  results  equally 
unsubstantial,  and  destined  to  be  perfectly  lost  when 
the  scenes  of  this  wintry  world  are  displaced  in  hea- 
ven by  the  beauties  of  an  unbounded  spring.     How 
much  superior  the  character  which  is  formed  by  the 
virtues  made  for  us  by  God,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Spirit !     Casting  aside  this  self-reliance,  which  is 
another  name  for  pride,  let  us  substitute  therefor  re- 
liance on  the  Holy  Ghost;  so  that  to  us  the  words 
may  be  addressed,  "Ye  are  his  workmanship,  created 
in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works."    The  results  of  the 
artistic  skill  of  this  boasted  self-reliance  are  enume- 
rated by  one  who  best  knows  the  heart;  which  are 
these — "adultery,    fornication,    uncleanness,    lascivi- 
ousness,  idolatry,  witchcraft,  hatred,  variance,  emula- 
tion, wrath,  strife,  seditions,  heresies,  envyings,  mur- 
ders, drunkenness,  revelings,  and  such  like."  Gal.  v. 
19.     The  borders  of  gold,  with  studs  of  silver,  made 


222  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

for  those  who  depend  on  the  Spirit,  include  such 
jewels  as,  "love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentle- 
ness, goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance." 

How  much  honour  is  conferred  on  the  spouse,  and 
how  strong  the  proof  of  his  love,  when  the  belov- 
ed, the  king,  condescends  to  make  these  ornaments 
himself.  He  does  not  say  "We  will  give,"  but  "We 
will  make,  &c."  There  were  two  reasons  for  this; 
none  but  himself  could  finish  those  things  in  a  man- 
ner sufficiently  royal  and  splendid;  and  it  is  a  grati- 
fication for  him  to  be  thus  occupied  in  labours  for  the 
souls  he  loves.  The  virtues  adorning  the  redeemed, 
the  beauties  of  their  souls,  their  spiritual  bodies  can 
be  the  workmanship  of  none  less  than  Jesus  Christ. 
Growing  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord,  we  are 
builded  together  for  an  habitation  of  God  through 
the  Spirit ;  and  he  by  whom  we,  as  living  stones,  are 
built  up  a  spiritual  house — is  one  who  has  been  filled 
to  an  infinitely  greater  degree  than  Bezaleel,  the 
architect  of  the  tabernacle,  with  the  Spirit  of  God,  in 
wisdom,  and  in  understanding,  and  in  knowledge,  and 
in  all  manner  of  workmanship,  Exod.  xxxi.  3 — is 
Christ  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  Christ  the  power  of 
God.  He  cleanses  us  from  sin;  he  overlays  the  re- 
fined gold  of  the  sanctified  heart,  with  engraving 
more  beautifully  than  was  ever  wrought  in  the  gems 
worn  on  Aaron's  breast;  his  hands  alone  set  this 
priceless  jewel  of  a  transparent  soul  in  the  pellucid 
shrine  of  a  spiritual  body;  and  deposits  it  among  the 
peculiar  treasure  of  the  King  of  kings,  in  the  secret 
of  the  Most  High  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  223 

And  this  is  to  him  a  labour  of  love.     His  affection 

for  us  forbids  the   idea   of  entrusting   this  work  to 

other  hands,'  even  could  any  be  found  equal  to  the 

task.     The  heart  of  Jesus  delights  to  anticipate  our 

wants,  to  labour  for  our  good,  though  in  bearing  the 

burden  of  a  cross.     He  is  the  artificer  of  our  fortune ; 

he  carves  out  our  whole  destiny;  he  makes  all  that  is 

valuable  and  beautiful  about  us;   and  our  only  pride 

is  in  the  consciousness  of  having  nothing  which  we 

have  not  received. 

Ver.  12. — While  the  king  sitteth  at  his  table,  my  spike- 
nard sendetk  forth  the  smell  thereof. 

According  to  oriental  customs  the  encampment 
moving  from  place  to  place  is  here  supposed  to  have 
stopped,  and  the  king  to  have  seated  himself  for  en- 
joying the  society  of  his  friends.  Thus  Layard  says  : 
"When  they  reached  the  tents,  the  chiefs  placed 
themselves  on  the  divan,  whilst  the  others  seated 
themselves  in  a  circle  on  the  green-sward.  An  abun- 
dant repast  had  been  prepared  for  them.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  verse  is  this — My  perfume  is  most  fragrant, 
and  while  the  beloved  is  enjoying  his  repast  in  the 
circle  of  his  friends,  delights  him  with  the  richness  of 
its  odour.*     According  to  Good,  the  phrase  "gracing 

*  See  notes  on  ver.  3.  The  spikenard  was  a  very  precious 
and  costly  unguent,  obtained  in  Judea  by  foreign  commerce 
from  the  eastern  coast  of  Africa  and  from  India.  The  oint- 
ment of  spikenard  used  by  Mary,  John  xii.  3,  was  "very  cost- 
ly;" and  Horace,  who  lived  in  the  same  age,  promises  Virgil  a 
whole  cadus,  about  nine  gallons,  of  wine,  for  a  small  onyx-box 
full  of  spikenard.  "The  composition  of  this  unguent  is  given 
by  Dioscorides,  who  describes  it  as  being  made  with  nut  oil, 


224  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

the  banquet,"  is  in  common  use  among  the  Persian 
poets,  to  delineate  an  elegant  woman.  Mary  showed 
her  regard  for  our  Lord  by  bringing  very  costly 
spikenard  and  anointing  Jesus  while  at  table,  so  that 
the  house  was  filled  with  the  odour  of  the  ointment. 
John  xii.  3.  In  the  same  spirit  does  the  spouse  here 
desire  to  show  her  affection  for  the  beloved. 

After  the  manifestations  of  Jesus'  love  alluded  to, 
in  being  brought  into  his  chambers,  ver.  4,  the  soul 
longing  for  his  presence  follows  hard  after  him  by 
pilgrimage  in  the  paths  of  duty,  "by  the  footsteps  of 
the  flock."  Having  found  him  whom  her  soul  loved, 
and  being  brought  again  into  his  presence  on  terms  of 
affectionate  friendship  by  receiving  the  reviving  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  under  different  circumstances 
from  those  before  noticed,  she  here  expresses,  in  ver. 
12,  the  effect  produced  by  his  presence,  in  kindling 
the  affections  into  a  lively  glow.  The  presence  of 
Jesus  as  felt  by  the  divine  light  beaming  in  the  ef- 
fulgent cloud  of  the  Spirit's  influences  continually 
around  him,  is  unfolded  to  us  at  different  times,  and 
in  various  ways.  Now,  we  are  revived  by  entering 
into  that  cloud  alone  in  our  closet,  more  retired  per- 
haps, than  the  three  chosen  disciples  amid  the  glory 

and  having  as  ingredients  malabathrum,  schoenus,  costus,  amo- 
mum,  nardus,  myrrha,  and  balsamum,  that  is  almost  all  the 
most  valued  perfumes  of  antiquity."  Dr.  Royle,  when  in 
India,  near  the  foot  of  the  Himalaya  mountains,  found  this 
plant  brought  down  in  considerable  quantities  as  an  article  of 
commerce;  and  shows  that  the  Jewish  spikenard  was  most 
probably  derived  from  these  regions. — Kitto's  Cyc.  Bib.  Lit. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  -JiJ 

on  Tabor;  again,  we  feel  ourselves  with  him  by  our 
hearts  burning  within  us  when  journeying  by  the 
way ;  and  then,  we  meet  with  him  by  grace  showered 
on  the  soul  in  the  enjoyment  of  public  ordinances, 
especially  the  sacrament  of  the  supper.  Here,  his 
society  is  enjoyed  not  in  private  communion,  his 
chambers,  but  in  public,  at  his  table,  in  the  circle  of 
his  friends. 

At  this  banquet,  he  presides  in  person,  with  kingly 
majesty.  In  the  Psalms,  especially  the  forty-fifth 
and  seventy-second,  to  which  this  Song  is  allied,  the 
epithet  "the  king,"  was  held  by  the  Jews  to  desig- 
nate, in  all  cases,  except  where  the  context  directs 
otherwise,  the  Messiah.  As  here  used,  this  title 
seems  to  refer  less  to  what  is  technically  called  his 
kingly  office,  than  to  his  divine  nature.  He  who 
receives  us  into  reconciliation  and  communion,  is  the 
King,  the  most  exalted  personage  in  the  government 
of  God,  is  divine,  is  God.  When,  after  especial 
blessedness  in  the  private  duties  of  religion,  at  times 
when  there  may  be  nothing  unusual  in  the  Church  as 
a  body,  we  have  been  cleaving  to  Christ  by  patient 
labours,  without  any  uncommon  enjoyment,  we  find 
not  unfrequently  on  coming  to  the  sacramental  table, 
the  King  of  saints  there  refreshing  us  with  the  hidden 
manna  for  the  hungry  soul,  with  the  water  of  life  for 
the  thirsting  spirit,  and  with  golden  censers  alive  with 
holy  fire  and  heavenly  incense  for  kindling  anew  the 
smouldering  affections  of  the  heart.  At  these  seasons 
of  reviving  love,  we  dwell  much  on  the  grandeur  and 
divinity  of  our  Lord;  and  love  to  feel,  "Thou  art 
20 


226  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

fairer  than  the  children  of  men,  grace  is  poured  into 
thy  lips." 

Sitting  together  at  table  was  evidence  of  reconcili- 
ation and  friendship:  "If  any  man  hear  my  voice, 
and  open  the  door,  I  -will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup 
with  him,  and  he  with  me."  Bev.  iii.  20.  There  is  in 
preparation  in  heaven  a  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb, 
at  which  he  and  those  who  having  been  once  enemies 
are  reconciled,  shall  sit  down  in  affectionate  fellow- 
ship and  unbroken  peace.  Just  as,  previous  to  the 
coming  of  Christ,  the  nature  of  his  death  was  repre- 
sented by  the  Jewish  sacrifices;  so,  the  nature  of  that 
feast  of  love  on  high,  for  which  all  things  in  this 
world  are  a  preparation,  is  illustrated  to  us  by  the 
services  of  the  Lord's  supper.  In  every  sacrifice 
the  part  consumed  by  fire  was  considered  as  God's; 
and  the  offerer  ate  a  portion  to  show  his  restoration 
to  fellowship  with  his  offended  king ;  while  the  altar 
was  God's  table,  at  which  he  and  the  sinner  thus  met 
in  reconciliation.  In  the  Lord's  supper  we  are  par- 
taking, in  the  only  way  now  possible,  of  the  sacrifice 
once  for  all  offered  on  Calvary;  and  while  doing  this, 
show  forth  the  Lord's  death,  till  he  come  and  drink 
the  fruit  of  the  vine  anew  with  us  in  his  Father's 
kingdom;  till  the  reconciliation  through  his  death, 
now  shadowed  dimly  through  these  emblems,  shall  bo 
perfectly  consummated  in  both  body  and  soul,  by  sit- 
ting with  him  at  table  in  the  New  Jerusalem.  This 
feast  of  love  will  be  enjoyed  in  perfection  in  heaven; 
and  all  things  connected  with  this  sacrament  on  earth 
are   pledges   and   foretastes   of  the  fulness  enjoyed 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  227 

above.  All  the  sacrificial  appointments  of  the  taber- 
nacle were  shadows  of  the  blessings  we  now  enjoy ; 
and  shadows  of  them  as  the  beginning  of  the  manifes- 
tation of  God  to  his  redeemed  and  their  attending 
joy  in  heaven.  In  the  camp  of  Israel,  God  was  in 
the  circle  of  his  friends  by  the  Shechinah ;  at  the  sup- 
per, he  was  thus  present  in  the  bodily  form  of  Jesus ; 
now  at  the  communion  table,  in  the  congregation, 
and  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  in  his  name,  he 
is  there  in  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  in 
heaven,  he  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  even  the  Lamb, 
shall  for  ever  dwell  among  them.  The  covenant 
made  with  Israel  at  the  foot  of  Sinai,  was  not  com- 
pleted until,  after  the  shedding  of  blood  and  its  appli- 
cation by  sprinkling,  the  elders,  as  representatives  of 
the  people,  went  up  into  the  mount,  and  there  seeing 
the  God  of  Israel,  did  eat  and  drink  in  his  presence. 
In  like  manner,  the  new  covenant,  established  on  bet- 
ter promises,  will  not  receive  its  perfect  ratification, 
until  all  those  on  whom  has  been  shed  the  blood  of 
sprinkling,  are  gathered  up  into  the  most  holy  mount 
on  which  rests  the  purity  of  the  eternal  clearness  of 
heaven;  and  there,  led  on  by  a  greater  than  Moses, 
even  by  the  Lamb  slain,  drink  the  new  wine  at  the 
table  where  presides  the  King  of  kings  in  the  fulness 
of  his  glory. 

"My  spikenard  sendeth  forth  the  smell  thereof."* 

*  The  following,  from  Chardin's  Voyages,  illustrates  this — 
mentioned  by  him  for  showing  how  prodigal  the  oriental 
females  are  in  the  use  of  perfumes.  "I  remember  that  at  the 
solemnization  of  the  nuptials  of  the  three  princesses  royal  of 


228  COMMENTARY    ON    TIIE 

This  was  the  oil  of  spikenard,  the  most  costly,  pre- 
cious, and  grateful  perfume,  with  which  the  spouse 
was  anointed  according  to  the  practice  of  using  such 
things  profusely  at  entertainments.  In  this  com- 
munion with  Christ,  our  presence  is  as  agreeable  to 
him  as  the  fragrance  of  spikenard,  and  his  society  is 
delightful  to  us  as  a  bundle  of  myrrh  or  cluster  of 
camphire.  With  these  perfumes  of  the  oil  of  glad- 
ness, the  great  governor  of  the  feast  is  anointed  with- 
out measure ;  and  as  the  virgins  love  him  because  of 
the  savour  of  his  good  ointments,  so  his  delight  is 
with  none  among  the  sons  of  men  but  those  who  have 
received  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One.  The  use  of 
fragrant  oils  was  not  a  more  necessary  preparation 
for  the  society  of  friends  at  a  feast,  than  is  the 
anointing  of  the  Spirit  requisite  to  fit  us  for  seeing 
God.     This  unction  must  come  from  himself.     Hence 

Golconda,  whom  the  king,  their  father,  who  had  no  other  chil- 
dren, married  in  one  day,  in  the  year  1G79,  perfumes  were 
lavished  on  every  invited  guest  as  he  arrived.  They  sprinkled 
them  on  those  who  were  clad  in  white ;  but  gave  them  into  the 
hands  of  those  who  wore  coloured  raiment,  because  their  gar- 
ments would  have  been  spoiled  by  throwing  it  over  them, 
which  was  done  in  the  following  manner.  They  threw  over 
the  body  a  bottle  of  rose-water,  containing  about  half  a  pint, 
and  then  a  large  bottle  of  water  tinted  with  saffron,  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  clothes  would  have  been  stained  with  it. 
After  this,  they  rubbed  the  arms  and  the  body  with  a  liquid 
perfume  of  laudanum  and  ambergris,  and  they  put  round  the 
throat  a  thick  cord  of  jasmine.  I  was  thus  perfumed  with  saf- 
fron in  many  great  houses  of  this  country,  and  in  other  places. 
This  attention  and  honour  is  a  universal  custom  among  the 
women  who  have  the  means  of  obtaining  this  luxury ." 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  229 

the  Psalmist  says,  "Thou  anointest  my  head  with 
oil."  The  graces  of  the  holy  heart,  so  acceptahle  to 
God,  are  the  work  of  the  Spirit.  He  makes  us  par- 
takers of  the  excellency  of  the  fulness  of  Christ,  even 
grace  for  grace.  He  brings  to  us,  in  this  wilderness, 
from  the  hills  of  frankincense  on  high,  those  graces 
of  liquid  perfume  which  arise  from  the  alabaster  of  a 
heart  broken  in  contrition,  in  odours  of  prayers, 
desires,  and  affections,  most  grateful  to  this  kingly 
friend.  Love,  holiness,  all  the  desires  unfolding 
purity  of  heart,  are  the  things  well  pleasing  to  our 
Redeemer.  The  unction  of  the  Holy  Spirit  diffuses 
around  us  a  refreshing  perfume,  by  enlivening  and 
developing  our  graces.  As  the  Spirit  is  inseparable 
from  the  presence  of  Jesus,  every  approach  of  our 
Lord  brings  with  it  an  influence  which,  by  enlivening 
the  affections,  draws  forth  the  precious  exhalations  of 
the  spikenard  of  the  heart.  Thus  does  the  sun  of 
spring  fill  the  calm,  pure  air,  with  fragrance  from  the 
landscape's  blooms,  the  garden's  flowers,  by  pouring 
around  their  roots  the  genial  unction  of  his  reviving 
glow.  In  the  sacrament  of  the  supper  we  are  merely 
expressing  by  ceremonies  that  which  it  is  our  privi- 
lege and  duty  continually  to  enjoy.  Not  the  com- 
munion service  only,  but  our  whole  life,  is  a  continual 
sacramental  feast.  As  such,  this  feast  may  preserve 
our  affections  always  in  a  glow,  by  keeping  us  near  to 
Christ;  and  when  our  fervour  may  have  manifestly 
declined,  we  shall  find  that  it  is  not  because  Jesus 
has  left  the  circle  of  his  friends,  but  because  we  have 
gone  out  from  among  them,  like  Judas,  led  by  love  ot 
20* 


230  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

gain  or  some  kindred  desire,  when,  had  we,  like  the 
beloved  disciple,  lingered  fondly  near  our  Lord,  we 
might  have  enjoyed  a  like  fervour  of  affection. 

Ver.  13. — A  bundle  of  myrrh  is  my  well-beloved  unto 
me;  he  shall  lie  all  night  betwixt  my  breasts. 

The  twelfth  verse  having  expressed  the  agreeable- 
ness  of  the  holy  heart  to  Jesus,  the  thirteenth  and 
fourteenth  verses  set  forth  the  pleasantness  of  the 
society  of  Christ  to  the  saint.  This  passage  has  been 
much  misrepresented.  We  would  read  it,  My  beloved 
is  unto  me  as  an  amulet,  (a  bag,  or  delicate  vessel,) 
filled  with  liquid  myrrh,  that  is  borne  continually  in 
the  bosom.*     Myrrh  was  one  of  the  most  costly  and 

*  "The  eastern  women,  among  other  ornaments,  used  little 
perfume-boxes,  or  vessels  filled  with  perfumes,  to  smell  at. 
These  were  worn  suspended  from  the  neck,  and  hanging  down 
on  the  breast.  Such  smelling-boxes  are  still  in  use  among  the 
Persian  women,  to  whose  necklaces,  which  fall  below  the  bo- 
som, is  fastened  a  large  box  of  sweets;  some  of  these  boxes  are 
as  big  as  one's  hand;  the  common  ones  are  of  gold,  the  others 
are  covered  with  jewels.  They  are  all  bored  through,  and  filled 
with  a  black  paste,  very  light,  made  of  musk  and  amber,  but 
of  very  strong  smell. — Burder.  Among  the  Egyptians,  "  Small 
boxes,  made  of  wood  or  ivory,  were  very  numerous,  offering, 
like  the  vases,  a  multiplicity  of  forms;  and  some,  which  con- 
tained cosmetics  of  divers  kinds,  served  to  deck  the  dressing- 
table,  or  a  lady's  boudoir.  They  were  carved  in  various  ways, 
and  loaded  with  ornamental  devices  in  relief;  sometimes  repre- 
senting the  favourite  lotus-flower,  with  its  buds  and  stalks,  a 
goose,  gazelle,  fox,  or  other  animal." — Wilkinson,  vol.  ii.  35G, 
where  may  be  found  much  that  is  interesting  on  this  subject. 
He  gives  also,  (vol.  iii.  107,)  an  account  and  drawings  of  some 
curious  Chinese  bottles,  which  have  been  found  in  various 
tombs,  and  were  evidently  brought  to  Egypt  through  India  at 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  231 

fragrant  perfumes.  The  shrub  was  beautiful,  with 
smooth  leaves  of  a  dark  green  on  the  upper,  and  a 
whitish  colour  on  the  under  surface,  with  flowers  of 
a  reddish  purple,  and  a  remarkable  odour  in  the  root, 
branches,  leaf,  and  bloom ;  so  that  a  cluster  gathered 
therefrom  was  beautiful  and  fragrant;  yet  the  liquid 
obtained  by  exudation  gave  the  tree  its  chief  value, 
and  is  most  probably  what  is  here  mentioned.  No- 
thing of  the  kind  could  be  more  delightful  to  the 
senses,  than  myrrh  thus  worn  in  the  bosom.  Rich 
perfume  very  appropriately  represents  the  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  what  can  illustrate  more 
beautifully  than  this,  those  divine  influences  distilled 
as  dew  from  the  mountain  of  myrrh  and  hill  of  frank- 
incense, and  lying  with  an  embalming  power  and 
exhilarating  fragrance  in  the  very  bosom  of  the  soul, 
the  centre  of  the  spiritual  heart.  This  language  is 
not  stronger  than  those  passages  of  Scripture  which 
speak  of  Christ  dwelling  in  us  by  his  Spirit — "  Christ 
in  you  the  hope  of  glory,"  Col.  i.  27;  "Filled  with  all 
the  fulness  of  God,"  Eph.  iii.  19.  Jesus  says  that  his 
Spirit  shall  be  in  us  "  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into 
everlasting  life,"  John  iv.  14.  Here,  the  illustration 
is  varied  for  showing  still  further  the  loveliness  and 
benefit  of  his  presence,  by  saying  that  through  his 
Spirit  he  is  in  the  pure  heart,  as  distillations  of  liquid 
myrrh.     Lodged  at  the  bottom  of  the  heart,  like  a 

a  very  remote  period.  They  are  about  two  inches  in  height; 
one  side  presents  a  flower,  and  the  other  this  inscription:  "The 
flower  opens,  and  lo!  another  year."  They  must  have  been 
tilled  with  some  precious  ingredient,  whose  value  may  be  in- 
ferred from  the  size  of  the  vase. 


lo'l  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

cluster  of  liquid  or  pulverized  myrrh,  the  love  of 
Jesus,  the  truths,  thoughts,  consolations,  and  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit,  exhale  and  roll  through  all 
the  channels  of  the  soul,  with  a  soothing,  exhilarating 
power,  and  diffuse  there  as  much  as  is  now  possible  to 
be  enjoyed  of  heaven. 

Ver.  14. — My  beloved  is  unto  rne  as  a  cluster  of  cam- 
phire  in  the  vineyards  of  Engedi. 

The  idea  of  the  foregoing  verse  is  presented  in  an- 
other form ;  My  beloved  is  like  a  cluster,  or  bouquet, 
of  camphire  blooms  from  the  gardens  of  Engedi.*   By 

*  "After  the  ceremony  of  anointing  was  over,  and  in  some 
cases  at  the  time  of  entering  the  saloon,  a  lotus-flower  was  pre- 
sented to  each  guest,  who  held  it  in  his  hand  during  the  enter- 
tainment. Servants  then  brought  necklaces  of  flowers,  com- 
posed chiefly  of  the  lotus;  a  garland  was  put  round  the  head, 
and  a  single  lotus  bud,  or  a  full-blown  flower,  was  so  attached 
as  to  hang  over  the  forehead.  Many  of  them,  made  up  into 
wreaths  and  other  devices,  were  suspended  upon  stands  placed 
in  the  room,  to  be  in  readiness  for  immediate  use,  and  servants 
were  constantly  employed  to  bring  other  fresh  flowers  from  the 
garden,  in  order  to  supply  the  guests  as  their  bouquets  faded ; 
and,  to  prevent  their  withering,  they  were  generally  put  close 
to  jars  of  water,  into  which  their  stalks  were  probably  im- 
mersed. The  stands  that  served  for  holding  the  flowers  and 
garlands,  were  similar  to  those  for  the  vases,  and  varied  in  size 
according  to  circumstances.  The  Greeks  and  Humans  had  the 
same  custom;  and  their  guests  were,  in  like  manner,  decked 
with  flowers  and  garlands.  They  not  only  adorned  their  heads, 
necks,  and  breasts,  like  the  Egyptians,  but  often  bestrewed  the 
couches  on  which  they  lay,  and  all  parts  of  the  room,  with 
flowers.  They  also  perfumed  the  apartment  with  myrrh,  frank- 
incense, and  other  choice  odours,  which  they  obtained  from 
Syria." — Wilkinson,  vol.  ii.  215. 


S  0  N-G     OP    SOLOMON.  233 

the  camphire  is  most  probably  meant  the  7iennah,  a 
plant  growing  to  the  height  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  beau- 
tiful to  the  eye  and  grateful  to  the  smell.  "The  dark 
colour  of  its  bark,  the  light  green  of  its  foliage,  the 
softened  mixture  of  white  and  yellow,  with  which  the 
flowers,  collected  into  long  clusters  like  the  lilac,  are 
coloured;  the  red  tint  of  the  ramifications  which  sup- 
port them,  form  a  combination  the  effect  of  which  is 
highly  agreeable.  The  flowers  whose  shades  are  so 
delicate,  diffuse  around  the  most  grateful  odours,  and 
embalm  with  their  strong  fragrance  the  gardens  in 
which  they  grow,  and  the  apartments  which  they 
adorn.  The  women  take  pleasure  in  decking  their 
persons  and  apartments  with  these  delightful  blos- 
soms." The  best  of  these  flowers  grew  in  Engedi,  a 
part  of  the  fertile  plain  of  Jericho,  abounding  not  only 
in  vineyards,  but  also  in  gardens  for  aromatic  shrubs, 
in  the  gums  and  balsams  of  which  the  Jews  carried  on 
a  traffic.  In  the  days  of  Jerome,  this  region  was  re- 
markable for  the  balm  of  Gilead.  To  persons  thus 
familiar  with  these  beautiful  and  fragrant  clusters, 
nothing  could  be  more  expressive  of  the  loveliness  of 
the  presence  of  another,  even  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
How  could  we  express  otherwise,  or  more  intelligibly, 
than  by  these  emblems,  the  apprehension  had  of  Jesus 
as  lodged  in  our  hearts  by  his  love,  and  of  that  love 
as  hoarded  by  us,  and  the  source  of  inexpressible  plea- 
sure; as  grateful,  not  merely  in  public,  like  the  in- 
cense burning  on  the  altar,  but  in  private,  withdrawn 
from  society.  The  love  of  Christ,  his  consolations 
and  joys,  are  to  us  not  unstable  and  evanescent,  like 


234  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

fragrance  floating  on  a  passing  breeze;  but  are,  in 
the  depths  of  the  soul,  a  perpetual  fountain  of  exhila- 
rating perfumes,  refreshing  as  myrrh,  beautiful  as  the 
clusters  of  camphire.  And  when  we  are  most  alone, 
his  presence  makes  us  realize  something  delightful  and 
delicately  beauteous  to  our  spiritual  perception,  and 
inseparable  from  us,  as  the  bundle  of  myrrh  or  cam- 
phire, which  may  attend  us  with  an  influence  pleasant 
to  others,  no  less  than  ourselves,  in  the  public  assem- 
bly, in  our  closet  retirement,  or  in  our  private  walks. 
By  our  precious  Lord  there  is  given  to  us  something 
better  than  the  golden  vial  full  of  odours;  the  heart  of 
the  pure  in  spirit  is  a  richer  vial,  and  the  love  of 
Christ  imbedded  there  in  the  myrrh  of  Scripture 
truth,  holy  desires,  and  heavenly  anticipations,  is  a 
more  precious  incense.  The  promises  and  Scripture 
truths  gathered  from  time  to  time,  from  different  parts 
of  the  word  of  God,  and  borne  in  our  bosom,  in  clus- 
ters, as  we  need  them,  are  the  clusters  of  camphire, 
flowering  and  fragrant  with  the  love  of  Jesus : 

"A  flower  which  once 
In  Paradise,  fast  by  the  tree  of  Life, 
Began  to  bloom;  but  soon  for  man's  offence 
To  heaven  removed,  where  first  it  grew,  there  grows; 
And  flowers  aloft,  shading  the  fount  of  life, 
And  where  the  river  of  bliss  through  midst  of  heaven 
Rolls  o'er  Elysian  flowers  her  amber  stream."* 

In  the  fragrance  of  this  divine  love  thus   diffused 
around  us,  we    are   breathing   sweeter   odours    than 

*  Paradise  Lost,  book  iii.  353. 


SONO     OP     SOLOMON.  235 

known  by  Adam  in  Eden,  such  as  are  even  now  re- 
viving those  who  are  under  the  shadow  of  the  tree  of 
life  in  the  midst  of  the  Paradise  of  God.  There  is  in 
the  love  of  Christ  something  refined  and  etherial,  to 
which  the  most  sublimated  extracts  from  the  most  ele- 
gant things  of  earth  cannot  approximate ;  very  differ- 
ent from  the  gross  pleasures  of  sense,  better  than 
wine ;  and  as  the  wind  is  the  best  emblem  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  John  iii.  8,  so  the  wind  loaded  with  such  fra- 
grance as  the  myrrh  and  camphire  blooms,  is  the  best 
illustration  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  office  of  convey- 
ing to  the  soul  the  exhilarating  love  of  our  Lord.  In 
what  perfect  contrast  are  the  enjoyments  of  the  glut- 
ton, and  the  drunkard,  and  "all  that  wallow  in  the 
sensual  sty,"  to  the  pleasures  inhaled  from  a  cluster 
of  myrrh  or  camphire  blooms.  While  the  presence  of 
Christ  diffuses  a  pure  and  elevating  influence  through 
the  soul,  from  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ga- 
thered like  liquid  myrrh  at  our  heart,  it  does  also  gra- 
tify the  sight  by  visions  more  delicately  exquisite  than 
the  flowers  of  the  camphire.  How  fragrant  docs  this 
presence  render  our  retirement,  and  cause  us  to  linger 
fondly  there  while  the  world  are  pitying  our  loneli- 
ness. The  Scriptures,  this  precious  volume,  the  visi- 
ble means  of  our  communion  with  Christ,  with  the 
exquisite  net-work  of  its  literary  materials  and  style, 
filled  with  words  fitly  spoken,  is  more  beautiful  and 
valuable  than  a  basket  of  silver  filled  with  apples  of 
gold;  and  no  golden  vase  on  a  centre-table  of  the 
purest  marble,  containing  clusters  of  camphire  min- 
gling their  fragrance  with  the  odour  of  distilled  myrrh, 


23G  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

can  diffuse  so  pleasant  an  incense  as  that  filling  the 
retired  room  of  the  heliever,  in  which  the  central  orna- 
ment is  this  book  of  life,  this  golden  urn  of  salvation, 
filled  with  the  pure  water  of  life,  with  clusters  gathered 
in  the  heavenly  Paradise,  and  fragrant  with  truths  in 
unfading  bloom. 

Ver.  15. — Behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  love;  behold,  thou 
art  fair;   thou  hast  doves'  eyes. 

While  thus  entertained  by  Jesus,  what  is  the  lan- 
guage addressed  by  him  to  the  believer?  No  tenderer 
epithet  could  be  used,  "My  love;"  or,  as  the  Hebrew 
word  strictly  means,  a  female  friend,  a  companion — 
the  import  of  the  language  is,  thou  art  indeed  beauti- 
ful, my  friend,  my  companion ;  my  love,  thou  art 
beautiful.  So  literally  true  are  the  words,  "As  the 
bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  so  shall  thy  God 
rejoice  over  thee,"  Isa.  Ixii.  5.  There  are  among  his 
creatures  none  that  he  loves  better  than  the  redeemed. 
He  who  is  altogether  lovely,  who  is  love,  shall  he  not 
know  what  is  lovely?  and  shall  not  his  love  be  of  great 
worth?  He  that  planted  the  ear,  shall  he  not  hear? 
He  that  wove  the  texture  of  Sharon's  rose,  shall  he 
not  know  what  is  beautiful  ?  Yet,  he  says  to  us,  "  My 
love,  behold  thou  art  fair."  Feeling  our  depravity 
and  knowing  our  short-comings,  we  wonder  what  there 
can  be  in  us  to  admire ;  but  he  whose  all-present  eye 
sees  pure  gems  in  the  deep  caves  of  ocean,  and  deli- 
cate flowers  in  secluded  retreats  of  the  wilderness, 
penetrates  beyond  the  outward  appearance,  and  no- 
tices what  is  beautiful  in  the  heart,  which  may  still  be 
too  much  like  the  troubled  sea  when  it  cannot  rest. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  237 

An  unseemly  shoot  ingrafted  into  a  tree  grows  more 
beautiful  by  growing  into  the  tree,  till  at  length  it 
bursts  into  bloom.  We  are  ingrafted  into  Christ;  and 
as  we  become  more  and  more  one  with  him,  our  beauty 
increases  by  his  beauty  becoming  ours.  The  parent 
looks  on  the  infant  as  beautiful  according  to  the  like- 
ness to  himself,  though  there  is  much  weakness  and 
infirmity  in  the  child,  and  very  much  beauty  remains 
to  be  developed.  In  his  created  works,  God  does  not 
wait  until  they  are  perfectly  finished,  before  he  can 
see  beauty  in  them ;  he  traces  it  in  all  things,  from 
the  first,  as  there  forming;  and  the  unfolding  of 
beauty  in  the  several  stages  of  its  progress  towards 
maturity  cannot  be  less  interesting  to  him  than  the 
view  of  its  full  perfection.  There  is  pleasure  in  train- 
ing the  tender  plant;  in  watching  the  bursting  bud 
and  fragrant  bloom  of  spring,  as  well  as  in  enjoying 
the  golden  fruits  of  autumn.  As  soon  as  born  again, 
the  soul  begins  an  assimilation  to  Christ,  which  is 
scarcely  seen  in  the  body,  and  must  be  much  hidden 
from  those  who  see  the  body  only,  while  the  linea- 
ments of  this  loveliness  must  be  apparent  to  those 
who  can  behold  the  soul.  We  are  made  one  with 
Christ  by  justification ;  and  sanctification  then  transfers 
to  our  soul  the  excellences  existing  in  Jesus.  Beauty 
is  inseparable  from  holiness,  as  deformity  is  insepara- 
ble from  sin.  Jesus  is  making  us  what  he  pleases, 
with  none  to  interfere;  and  he  certainly  cannot  wish 
to  make  us  otherwise  than  beautiful. 

"Thou  hast  doves' eyes,"  or  literally,  Thine  eyes 
are  doves.     The  doves  of  Syria  have  eyes  remarkably 
21 


238  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

large  and  beautiful.  The  eye,  as  here  mentioned, 
seems  to  combine  the  beauty  of  the  brilliant,  light- 
blue  eye  of  Minerva,  with  that  of  the  tender,  melting, 
languishing  eye  of  Venus,  to  represent  which  her  sta- 
tues have  the  lower  eyelid  drawn  up  a  little  over  the 
eye.  All  poets  dwell  on  the  eye  as  a  most  expressive 
feature.  Everyone  is  familiar  with  the  varied  epithets 
on  this  point  in  Homer,  and  the  description  of  a  beauty 
in  Anacreon,  Ode  28 : 

"And  paint  her  eye  Minerva's  blue, 
With  Venus'  melting,  languid  hue." 

The  eyes  of  Agamemnon  enraged,  "were  like  blazing 
fire;"  those  of  Minerva,  a  mild,  sparkling,  animated 
blue;  Juno's  large,  round,  and  full,  "ox-eyed."  The 
countenance  has  been  called  "the  living  telegraph  of 
all  that  is  felt  within;"*  especially  may  this  be  said  of 
the  eye.     As  in  Milton's  Penseroso, 

"Thy  rapt  soul  sitting  in  thine  eyes." 

And  an  oriental  poet,  "All  his  soul  sparkled  in  his 
eyes."     As  the  soul  of  the  saint  is  the  shrine  wherein 

*  The  Body  and  the  Mind,  by  Dr.  Moore,  p.  85. — "  The  saga- 
cious traveller,  Nicolai,  states  that  he  saw  the  most  divinely 
beautiful  female  countenances  among  women  who  were  most 
devout.  The  calm  contemplation  of  loveliness  where  affection 
blends  with  adoration,  seems  to  act  most  powerfully  in  tran- 
quilizing  and  exalting  the  features.  Doubtless  the  apprehen- 
sion of  spiritual  truth  being  absolute,  the  reflex  of  the  divine 
mind  would  possess  the  mind  with  a  more  heavenly  idea,  and 
correspondingly  transform  the  whole  being."     P.  80. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  -  239 

lies  the  sacred  fountain  of  divine  love,  the  eyes  of 
doves,  the  emblem  of  affection,  are  the  best  expression 
to  others  of  this  inward  emotion.  The  eyes  are  trans- 
parencies through  which  the  soul  may  look  out  on  sur- 
rounding things;  and  as  through  these  we  do,  as  it 
were,  come  nearer  than  in  any  other  way,  getting 
glimpes  of  the  soul,  the  expression  of  the  eye  is  an 
index  of  the  passions  within,  as  of  anger,  envy,  guilt, 
innocence,  or  love.  Hence  the  language,  "An  evil 
eye,"  Matt.  xx.  15;  "Eyes  full  of  adultery,"  2  Pet. 
ii.  14;  "An  high  look  and  a  proud  heart,"  Ps.  ci.  5. 
The  dove  is  an  emblem  of  gentleness,  innocence,  and 
love;  and  has  been  chosen  by  the  Holy  Ghost  for  re- 
presenting his  divine  nature  and  offices  towards  man. 
As  the  Spirit  changes  us  to  his  own  likeness,  and 
makes  us  harmless,  guileless,  or  pure,  as  doves,  Matt. 
x.  16,  the  eyes  must  acquire  an  expression  like  the 
eyes  of  doves.  Not  the  haughty  air  of  the  devotee  of 
fashion,  not  the  proud  bearing  of  the  soldier,  not  the 
selfish  cast  of  the  miser,  not  the  fierce  glare  of  malice, 
not  the  ill-concealed  vanity  betokening,  under  the 
guise  of  feigned  humility,  a  hungering  and  thirsting  for 
admiration ;  but  the  eye  bespeaking  gentleness,  puri- 
ty, and  love,  is  the  expression  of  countenance  agree- 
able to  our  Lord.  As  the  man,  who  is  the  head  of  the 
woman,  1  Cor.  xi.  3,  does  every  thing  requiring  ener- 
gy, defence,  danger,  and  resistance,  while  the  woman 
in  her  sphere  acts,  but  confides  and  loves;  so  we  must 
do  all  things  in  love,  feeling  that  the  head  of  every 
man  is  Christ;  and  not  avenging  ourselves,  but  com- 
mitting our  cause  to  him  in  well  doing,  and  sensible 


240  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

that  "with  this  well  doing  our  business  now  is,  as  the 
spouse  of  Christ,  to  confide  and  love. 

"  They  tell  of  things  which  no  gross  ear  can  hear, 
Till  oft  converse  with  heavenly  habitants 
Begin  to  cast  a  beam  on  th'  outward  shape, 
The  unpolluted  temple  of  the  mind, 
And  turns  it  by  degrees  to  the  soul's  essence, 
Till  all  be  made  immortal."* 

Ver.  16,  17. — Behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  beloved,  yea, 
pleasant:  also  our  bed  is  green.  The  beams  of  our  house 
are  cedar,  and  our  rafters  of  fir. 

We  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us ;  we  presume 
to  call  him  our  beloved,  because  he  first  calls  us  his 
love.  It  is  much  for  such  unworthy  creatures  to  have 
the  right  of  saying  this;  much  to  have  the  feelings 
and  desires  which  prompt  this  language.  When  Jesus 
speaks  to  our  heart,  as  in  the  15th  verse,  there  arises 
the  trepidation  of  warm  affection ;  and  we  would  gladly 
give  utterance  to  the  strongest  expressions  of  love; 
but  we  are  so  overwhelmed  with  his  grandeur,  and  our 
unworthiness,  as  to  hesitate  in  using  words  our  emo- 
tions would  justify.  Hence  the  Holy  Spirit  has  in- 
dited this  language,  and  assures  us  we  cannot  do  wrong 
in  thus  speaking  of  our  Lord.  Jesus  is  well  pleased  to 
have  us  call  him  our  beloved. 

"Thou  art  fair."  How  fair?  Fairer  than  the  sons 
of  men;  adorned  with  greater  beauty  than  any  of 
our  fallen  race;  fairer  too  than  the  angels.  Heb.  i. 
"  Grace  is  poured  into  thy  lips;"  and  when,  in  conse- 

*  Milton's  Comus. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  241 

quence  of  this,  we  wonder  at  the  gracious  words  which 
proceed  out  of  his  mouth,  we  delight  to  add,  "  Yea, 
pleasant."  The  pleasures  of  refined  society,  of  society 
ennobled  by  intellectual  culture  and  polished  manners, 
in  combination  with  the  grace  which  purifies  the  heart 
for  seeing  God,  are  the  most  delightful  possible  for 
man.  The  society  of  Jesus,  far  from  being  gloomy 
and  irksome,  is  captivating  and  delightful.  In  him 
are  united  all  conceivable  charms,  princely  dignity, 
mind  of  infinite  compass,  illimitable  influence,  beauty, 
knowledge,  and  wisdom  divine,  a  nature  that  is  its 
self  love.  "When  in  the  form  of  a  slave,  in  the  flesh, 
emptied  of  his  glory,  there  was  a  wondrous  charm 
about  his  person,  his  presence,  his  conversation. 
"Never  man  spake  like  this  man."  What,  therefore, 
must  be  the  charm  investing  him  now  in  glory.  Those 
who  have  been  admitted  to  the  gatherings  in  which 
the  hospitality  of  high  rank  loved  to  assemble  the 
courtly,  the  powerful,  the  learned,  and  the  influential, 
delighted  in  those  privileges  as  their  happiest  hours, 
and  cherish  the  remembrance  of  them  fondly  in  de- 
clining age.*  Of  such  privileges  the  humble  saint 
may  be  deprived;  but  he  mingles  intimately  in  a  more 
refined,  more  intellectual,  more  fascinating  society — a 
gathering  wherein  he  who  presides  is  the  king  in  the 
circle  of  his  friends.  How  pleasant  is  the  society  of 
Jesus,  when  he  unfolds  to  us  the  way  of  salvation, 
opens  the  promises,  encourages  in  difficulty,  comforts 
in  trouble,  and  speaks  of  the  blessedness  of  heaven ! 

*  Final  Memorials  of  Charles  Lamb,  p.  238. 
21* 


242  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

How  rich  the  influence  around  his  presence !  In  his 
presence  is  fulness  of  joy.  When  on  earth,  he  must 
have  possessed  great  attractions,  to  draw  multitudes 
after  him  into  the  wilderness,  and  retain  them  there 
for  days  without  food.  The  indifference  of  the  be- 
liever to  the  highest  society  among  the  irreligious,  is 
the  result  of  a  deep  and  intelligent  conviction  of  the 
superiority  of  the  society  of  Christ.  Entranced  with 
his  pleasantness,  enchained  with  his  wisdom,  and  rapt 
by  the  glorious  visions  of  the  ideal  world  unfolded  by 
his  promises,  we  exclaim,  "  This  is  my  rest  for  ever ; 
here  will  I  dwell.  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  V 
and  there  is  none  upon  earth  that  I  desire  beside 
thee." 

"Also  our  bed  is  green,"  or,  the  green  flowery  turf 
is  our  place  of  repose.  The  scene  in  which  these 
words,  and  possibly  all  from  verse  12  are  used,  seems 
to  be  laid  in  the  kiosk  or  summer-house  in  the  royal 
garden.*      Oriental  gardens  were  without  the  city, 

*  "The  next  day  we  went  to  visit  the  gardens,  and  to  spend 
a  day  there.  The  place  was  about  a  mile  out  of  town.  It 
afforded  us  a  very  pleasant  summer-house,  having  a  plentiful 
stream  of  water  running  through  it.  The  garden  was  thick 
set  with  fruit-trees,  but  without  any  art  or  order.  Such  as 
this  are  all  the  gardens  hereabouts:  only  with  this  odds,  that 
some  of  them  have  their  summer-houses  more  splendid  than 
others,  and  their  waters  improved  into  greater  variety  of  foun- 
tains."— Maundrell,  p.  130.  In  Kitto's  Illustrated  Commen- 
tary, Deut.  iii.  11,  is  a  drawing  of  what  he  calls  "a  garden 
bedstead,"  which  is  in  fact  a  kiosk,  and  illustrates  precisely 
what  is  meant  in  these  two  verses.  "  The  Egyptians  spent 
much  time  in  the  cool  and  shady  retirement  of  their  gardens, 
where,  like  the  Romans,  they  entertained  their  friends  during 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  243 

and  from  half  a  mile  to  a  mile  distant  from  the 
houses  of  the  persons  to  whom  they  belonged.  "  In 
the  gardens  around  Aleppo,  commodious  villas  are 
built,  for  the  use  of  the  inhabitants,  to  which  they 
retire  during  the  oppressive  heats  of  summer.  Here, 
amid  the  wild  and  almost  impervious  thickets  of  pome- 

the  summer-season,  as  we  may  judge  from  the  size  of  some  of 
the  kiosks  which  occur  in  the  paintings  of  the  tombs." — Wil- 
kinson, vol.  ii.  187.  Thus  the  following  from  Plato:  "How 
beautiful  a  retreat !  For  this  plane-tree  is  very  wide-spreading 
and  lofty,  and  the  height  and  shadiness  of  this  agnus  castus 
are  very  beautiful ;  and  being  now  in  full  bloom,  it  makes  the 
place  exceedingly  fragrant.  Moreover,  there  flows  under  this 
plane-tree  a  delightful  fountain  of  very  cold  water,  to  judge 
from  its  effect  on  the  foot.  It  appears  from  these  images  and 
statues  to  be  sacred  to  certain  nymphs,  and  to  Achelous.  Ob- 
serve again  the  freshness  of  the  spot,  how  charming  and  de- 
lightful it  is,  and  how  summer-like  and  shrill  it  sounds  from 
the  choir  of  grasshoppers.  But  the  most  delightful  of  all  is 
the  grass,  which,  sloping  gently,  gives  an  easy  support  to  the 
head  as  we  recline." — Phcedras,  5. 

Edw.  Atherstone,  describing  the  bower  of  Achushta,  says: 
"With  fragrant  moss  the  floor 
Was  planted,  to  the  foot  a  carpet  rich, 
Or,  for  the  languid  limbs  a  downy  couch 
Inviting  slumber." 
Milton  mentions — 

"  Beds  of  hyacinth  and  roses, 
Where  young  Adonis  oft  reposes." 
And  Theocritus — 

"  On  soft  beds  recline, 
Of  lentisk  and  young  branches  of  the  vine." 
"My  tent  was  pitched  on  a  carpet  of  soft,  green  sward, 
under  the  wide-spread  arms  of  one  of  the  old  cedars." —  War- 
burton's  Travels. 


244  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

granate,  and  other  fruit-bearing  trees,  the  languid 
native  and  exhausted  traveller  find  a  delightful  re- 
treat from  the  scorching  beams  of  the  sun.  A  similar 
custom  of  retiring  into  the  country,  and  taking  shelter 
in  the  gardens,  at  that  season,  appears  to  have  been 
followed  in  Palestine,  in  ages  very  remote.  The 
exquisite  pleasure  which  an  oriental  feels,  while  he 
reclines  under  the  deep  shade  of  the  pomegranates, 
the  apple,  and  other  fruitful  trees,  in  the  Syrian  gar- 
dens, which,  uniting  their  branches  over  his  head, 
defend  him  from  the  glowing  firmament,  is  well 
described  by  Russel:  "Revived  by  the  freshening 
breeze,  the  purling  of  the  brooks,  and  the  verdure  of 
the  groves,  his  ear  will  catch  the  melody  of  the  night- 
ingale, delightful  beyond  what  is  heard  in  England ; 
with  conscious  gratitude  to  Heaven,  he  will  recline  on 
the  simple  mat,  and  bless  the  hospitable  shelter." 
Lady  Montague  writes,  "In  the  midst  of  the  garden 
is  the  kiosk,  that  is,  a  large  room,  commonly  beauti- 
fied with  a  fine  fountain  in  the  midst  of  it.  It  is 
raised  nine  or  ten  steps,  and  enclosed  with  gilded 
lattices,  round  which  vines,  jessamines,  and  honey- 
suckles, make  a  sort  of  green  wall.  Large  trees  are 
planted  round  this  place,  which  is  the  scene  of  their 
greatest  pleasures."  Speaking  of  the  plain  of  Sharon, 
a  traveller  remarks,  "The  fields  were  decked  with 
thousands  of  gay  flowers,  forming  an  enamelled  car- 
pet, that  perfumed  the  air,  and  offered  a  scene  re- 
plete with  every  thing  that  could  gratify  the  eye,  or 
charm  the  imagination.  In  such  a  place,  and  on  such 
a  couch,  are  the  beloved  and  the  spouse  here  repre- 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  245 

scntcd  as  reposing.     This  picture  is  common  in  poe- 
try.    Thus  Thomson: 

"  There  on  the  verdant  turf  and  flowery  bed, 
By  gelid  founts  and  careless  rills  to  muse." 

And  Homer — 

"Beneath  them  earth 
"With  sudden  herbage  teem'd  at  once  upsprang 
The  crocus  soft,  the  lotus  bathed  in  dew, 
And  the  crisp  hyacinth  with  clustering  bells ; 
Thick  was  their  growth,  and  high  above  the  ground 
Upbore  them.     On  that  flowery  couch  they  lay, 
Invested  with  a  golden  cloud  that  shed 
Bright  dew-drops  all  around."* 

From  such  scenes  does  the  Holy  Spirit  draw  the 
means  of  illustrating  the  loveliness  of  the  society  of 
Jesus.  His  presence  can  make  the  desert  itself  de- 
lightful. When  he  brings  his  beloved  into  the  wilder- 
ness for  speaking  to  her  heart,  Hos.  ii.  14,  he  makes 
the  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  glad,  and  the  de- 
sert rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose.  To  the  charm  of 
his  society  is  added  the  beauty  of  the  place  in  which 
it  is  enjoyed.  The  word  bed  here  expresses  the  place 
where,  in  a  pastoral  scene,  the  two  friends  may  recline 
on  the  verdure,  and  share  the  pleasures  of  each 
other's  company.  We  would  read,  Our  couch  or  place 
of  repose  is  spread  with  the  verdure  and  flowers  of 
spring;  the  roof,  the  ceiling  of  our  summer-house  or 
kiosk,  our  canopy,  is  cedar  interspersed  with  fir,  rich- 
ly carved.     As  if  it  were  said,  The  place  where  I  rest 

*  Iliad,  book  xiv.  347. 


246  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

and  enjoy  the  society  of  this  beloved  friend,  is  invest- 
ed with  the  freshness  and  richness  of  vernal  beauty, 
amid  green  grass  and  blooming  flowers.  The  same 
idea  is  expressed,  in  different  words,  in  Ps.  xxiii.  2, 
"He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures;"  and 
in  Isa.  "xi.  10,  "His  rest,  or  place  of  rest,  shall  be  glo- 
rious." And  -when  the  same  prophet  would  show  that 
the  dwelling-place  of  God  among  men  shall  be  adorned 
with  the  most  attractive  beauty,  he  says,  "  The  glory 
of  Lebanon  shall  come  unto  thee,  the  fir-tree,  the 
pine-tree,  and  the  box  together,  to  beautify  the  place 
of  my  sanctuary;  and  I  will  make  the  place  of  my 
feet  glorious."  Chap.  lx.  13.  Into  the  oriental  gar- 
dens, many  of  which  were  very  extensive,  the  owner 
delighted  to  go  with  a  few  friends,  and  sitting  down 
in  some  shady  place,  most  commonly  a  small  open 
structure  or  summer-house,  elegantly  made,  there 
enjoy  the  cool  shade,  the  refreshing  breeze,  the  foli- 
age of  the  groves,  the  fragrance  of  the  flowers,  and 
the  golden  luxuriousness  of  the  ripening  fruits,  Avhile 
the  ear  was  pleased  with  the  murmuring  of  the  rills 
and  the  melodies  of  the  nightingale.  By  such  scenes 
as  this,  would  the  Holy  Spirit  represent  that  in  our 
communion  with  Jesus  we  are  surrounded  with  plea- 
santness and  peace.*  There  are  many  barren  tracts 
and  wilds  in  our  pilgrimage;  but  he  who  comforts 
Zion,  "will  make  her  wilderness  like  Eden,  and  her 

*  Plato  says,  "Love  does  not  settle  on  any  spot  where 
flowers  are  not,  or  where  they  have  fallen  off;  but  wherever  is 
a  spot  flowery  and  fragrant,  there  he  settles  and  fixes  his 
abode." 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  247 

desert  like  the  garden  of  the  Lord;  joy  and  gladness 
shall  be  found  therein,  thanksgiving  and  the  voice  of 
melody."  Isa.  li.  3.  The  curse  cannot  encroach  on 
the  spot  where  the  Lamb  slain  reposes  with  his  re- 
deemed;* the  earth,  cursed  for  the  disobedience  of 
the  first  Adam,  receives  through  the  righteousness  of 
the  second  Adam,  a  deliverance  from  the  bondage  of 
corruption ;  the  first  fruits  of  which  we  now  feel  clus- 
tering around  us  in  hours  of  communion  with  Jesus. 
Like  the  early  violets,  the  harbingers  of  spring,  these 
incipient  joys  of  holiness  bespeak  the  vernal  glories 
of  heaven  nigh.  Heavenly  pleasures  can  no  more  be 
separated  from  the  presence  of  Jesus,  than  flowers 
can  be  separated  from  the  spring.  He  is  to  this 
blighted  world,  what  spring  is  to  the  dreariness  of 
winter,  the  resurrection  and  the  life.  Feeling  already 
the  first  fruits  of  that  better  order  of  things  when 
"The  storms  of  wintry  time  will  quickly  pass, 
And  one  unbounded  spring  encircle  all;" 

we  read   in  these  earthly  beauties,  the  patterns  of 

-x-  ""When  the  conscience  discovers  the  favourable  sentence 
of  God  concerning  man,  and  intimates  the  same  to  itself,  and 
at  the  same  time  bears  testimony  of  its  unfeigned  piety  towards 
God,  it  spreads  a  surprising  serenity  and  calm  over  the  whole 
soul.  Consequently,  the  peace  of  God  necessarily  brings  with 
it  peace  of  conscience,  and  much  confidence  in  God.  The  soul 
nowhere  reposes  itself  more  comfortably,  than  in  that  bed  of 
tranquillity,  and  in  the  bosom  of  Jesus,  its  loving,  lovely 
spouse,  singing  at  that  time  to  its  adversaries,  'Know  that  the 
Lord  hath  set  apart  him  that  is  godly  for  himself.  I  will  both 
lay  me  down  in  peace  and  sleep,  for  thou,  Lord,  only  makest 
me  dwell  in  safety.'  "—  Witsius  on  Spiritual  Peace,  Cov.,  book 
iii.  9.  13. 


243  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

things  in  the  heavens ;  and  with  the  eye  of  faith  rest- 
ing on  the  blessedness  of  the  second  Eden,  exclaim 
with  triumphant  exultation, 

"Come,  gentle  spring!  ethereal  mildness!  come; 
And  from  the  bosom  of  yon  dropping  cloud 
Of  balm  of  Paradise  and  heavenly  dews, 
While  music  wakes  around,  veil'd  in  a  shower 
Of  shadowing  roses,  on  our  plains  descend." 

From  the  presence  of  Jesus,  however  manifested, 
nothing  can  be  separated  that  is  delightful.  He 
makes  all  things  work  together  for  good.  How  sweet 
is  our  repose  when  we  sit  down  with  him  in  the  hour 
of  repentance,  in  times  of  refreshing,  in  seasons  of 
prayer,  amid  his  gracious  providences,  in  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  sanctuary.  He  makes  even  the  valley 
of  Baca  a  well;  he  sheds  down  divine  blessings,  as 
the  rain  that  filleth  the  pools.  Around  his  footsteps, 
around  the  place  of  his  rest,  the  desert  blossoms 
abundantly,  and  rejoices  even  with  joy  and  singing. 
The  heavenly  host  still  attend  him  with  more  of  glory 
and  of  melody  than  at  his  appearance  on  the  plains 
of  Bethlehem;  and  when  we  are  thus  with  Jesus, 
"the  angels  with  their  silver  wings,  o'ershade  the 
ground  thus  sacred  by  his  presence  made."  They 
yet  delight  to  praise  God  for  every  display  of  his 
good  will  to  man;  their  music  spreads  around  us  a 
sea  of  harmonious  undulations ;  so  that 

"The  place  is  full  of  noises, 
Sounds,  and  sweet  airs,  that  give  delight  and  hurt  not; 
Sometimes  a  thousand  instruments  melodious 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  249 

Will  murmur  round  our,  ears ;  and  sometimes  voices, 
That  if  we  then  had  waked  after  long  sleep, 
AVill  make  us  sleep  again ;  and  then  in  dreaming, 
The  clouds  will  seem  to  open  and  show  riches 
Ready  to  drop  upon  us."* 

And  though  shut  out  from  these  airs  by  "this  muddy 
vesture  of  decay,"  there  are  frequently  effects  pro- 
duced on  the  soul,  which  force  on  us  the  impression 
that  we  are  in  the  midst  of  such  a  chorus;  and  that 
these  harmonies  are  quivering  faintly  through  the  flesh, 
and  trilling  in  upon  the  heart.  No  couch  of  flowers, 
not  even  of  Sharon's  roses,  can  excite  sensations  of 
pleasantness  at  all  equalling  those  felt  by  the  soul 
thus  reposing  in  the  society  of  Jesus.  All,  all  is 
peace,  love,  harmony;  with  the  surrounding  harmonies 
our  disordered  soul  grows  more  in  unison. 

"  We  lay  the  head 
In  golden  slumber  on  a  bed 
Of  heaped  Elysian  flowers,  and  hear 
Such  strains  as  sweetly  win  the  ear 
Of  spirits  from  the  flesh  set  free."f 

"  The  beams  of  our  house  are  cedar, J  and  our  raf- 

*  Tempest,  Act  3,  Scene  2. 

f  Milton's  Allegro. 

X  "Hardly  any  kind  of  wood  unites  so  many  good  qualities 
for  building  as  the  cedar:  its  wood  not  only  pleases  the  eye  by 
its  reddish  stripes,  and  exhales  an  agreeable  smell,  but  it  is 
hard  and  without  knots,  and  is  never  eaten  by  worms,  and 
lasts  so  long  that  some  persons  consider  it  imperishable. 
Hence  it  was  used  for  rafters  and  boards,  either  to  cover  the 
houses  or  floors." — Burder. 
22 


250  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

ters  of  fir."*  Our  place  of  repose,  while  thus  beauti- 
ful, is  not  open  to  the  rays  of  the  sun,  nor  to  the 
rain,  but  is  protected  by  a  shelter,  a  roof  with  rafters 
of  cedar,  and  a  ceiling  of  fir  or  cypress,  adorned  with 
exquisite  carved  work.f     These  were  materials  used 

*  The  Hebrew  word  here  used,  seems  to  be  only  the  Ara- 
maean pronunciation  of  the  word  which,  in  most  passages 
where  it  occurs,  is  translated  cypress  in  the  old  Greek  and 
Syriac  versions.  "The  wood  of  the  cypress  is  hard,  fragrant, 
and  of  a  remarkably  fine,  close  grain,  very  durable,  and  of  a 
beautiful  reddish  hue,  which  Pliny  says  it  never  loses.  Ac- 
cording to  this  author,  '  The  statue  of  Jupiter  in  the  Capitol, 
which  was  formed  of  cypress,  had  existed  above  six  hundred 
years,  without  showing  the  least  symptom  of  decay;  and  the 
doors  of  the  temple  of  Diana  at  Ephesus,  which  were  also  of 
cypress,  and  were  four  hundred  years  old,  had  the  appearance 
of  being  quite  new.'  This  wood  was  used  for  a  variety  of 
purposes,  as  for  wine-presses,  rafters,  and  joists." — Kitto's 
Cyclopedia. 

f  "The  ceiling  was  slightly  arched,  and  clustered  with  sta- 
lactites of  purple  and  gold,  that  appeared  to  have  oozed  out 
from  some  rich  treasury  above.  The  walls  were  of  panelled 
cedar,  or  some  such  dark  and  fragrant  wood,  exquisitely 
carved;  and  curtains  of  Damascus  silk  were  gathered  into 
thick  folds  between  pilasters  of  cedars,  polished,  yet  rugged 
with  rich  carving." — Warburton's  Travels.  "  The  ceilings  were 
divided  into  square  compartments,  painted  with  flowers,  or 
with  the  figures  of  animals.  Some  were  inlaid  with  ivory, 
each  compartment  being  surrounded  with  elegant  borders  and 
mouldings.  The  beams,  as  well  as  the  sides  of  the  chambers, 
may  have  been  gilded,  or  even  plated  with  gold  and  silver ; 
and  the  rarest  woods,  in  which  the  cedar  was  conspicuous, 
were  used  for  the  wood  work." — Layard's  Nineveh,  ii.  208. 
There  are  some  beautiful  "patterns  from  Egyptian  ceilings," 
in  Wilkinson,  vol.  ii.  125. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  251 

in  the  temple;  in  tlieir  nature  rich  and  enduring. 
The  ceilings  of  oriental  houses,  in  the  present  day, 
as  well  as  in  the  time  of  Solomon,  are  beautified  "with 
carvings  and  arabesques,  with  highly  coloured  paint- 
ings. According  to  Josephus,  the  roof  of  the  temple 
was  of  cedar;  and  that  part  of  the  roof  that  was 
under  the  beams,  was  made  of  the  same  materials, 
and  had  ornaments  proper  for  roofs;  also  the  royal 
palace  of  Solomon  was  supported  by  fluted,  quadran- 
gular pillars  of  cedar,  and  adorned  with  sculptures, 
whereby  were  represented  trees  and  all  sorts  of  plants, 
with  the  shades  that  arose  from  their  branches,  and 
leaves  that  hung  down  from  them;  the  leaves  were 
wrought  so  thin  and  subtile,  that  you  would  think 
them  in  motion.  He  made  the  whole  building  en- 
tirely of  white  stone,  and  cedar  wood,  and  gold, 
and  silver :  he  also  adorned  the  roofs  and  walls  with 
stones  set  in  gold.  The  idea  then  seems  to  be,  that 
the  spouse  was  enjoying  this  pleasant  society  of  the 
beloved,  reclining  on  a  bed  of  grass  and  vernal 
flowers,  over  which  was  spread  the  protection  of  a 
ceiling  of  durable  materials  and  exquisite  carving, 
and  open  on  every  side  to  the  pleasing  prospects  and 
balmy  airs.  One  emblem,  or  set  of  emblems,  was  not 
enough;  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  a  kind  of  anxiety  to  set 
forth  our  privileges,  brings  together  whatever  is  most 
beautiful  in  nature  and  in  art — beds  of  flowers,  rural 
beauty,  the  shelter  of  a  palace  without  the  confine- 
ment of  its  walls.  The  true  conception  of  happiness, 
as  connected  with  our  restoration  from  the  curse,  is 
that  of  being  amid  such  scenes  as  those  in  Eden,  and 


252  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

sheltered  from  the  smiting  of  the  sun  by  day,  and  of 
the  moon  by  night.  Ps.  cxxi.  6.  This  protection  is 
set  forth  as  a  cloud  and  smoke  by  day,  and  the  shin- 
ing of  a  naming  fire  by  night;  as  a  shadow  from  the 
heat ;  as  a  shade ;  as  a  shadow  of  a  great  rock ;  as  a 
covering  of  us  with  his  wings ;  here,  by  the  figure  of 
a  durable,  beauteous,  costly  ceiling. 

That  protection  is  nothing  less  than  the  divine  na- 
ture of  Jesus  Christ.  Nothing  can  harm  us  beneath 
this  heavenly  shade.  Evil,  Satan,  affliction,  death, 
the  chill  dews  of  sin,  cannot  strike  us  there.  Homer 
represents  the  god  of  the  sun  coming  down  gloomy  as 
night,  and  by  his  arrows  scattering  death  through  the 
Grecian  camp;  from  which  protection  was  sought  in 
vain :  in  the  cloud  lowering  with  wrath  over  our  guilty 
world,  the  angel  of  death,  the  minister  of  divine  jus- 
tice, has  his  stand;  but  from  his  arrows  of  death,  our 
pardoned  spirits  are  more  secure  than  she,  who  re- 
posed with  the  beloved  beneath  this  ceiling,  was  from 
the  withering  rays  of  the  sun.  As  on  the  ceiling  of 
ancient  temples  might  sometimes  be  seen  beautiful 
paintings,  and  in  the  roof  of  this  summer-house  was 
curious  carving;  so,  in  this  overshadowing  defence  of 
the  divine  nature  of  Jesus,  are  all  the  excellences  of 
the  Godhead.  The  arch  spread  over  us  at  midnight, 
with  its  stars,  nebula),  and  constellations,  does  not 
present  to  the  eye,  assisted  by  the  best  telescope,  any 
thing  comparable  with  the  overshadowing  divinity  of 
Christ.  While,  like  the  roof,  it  is  our  shelter ;  like 
the  evening  sky,  it  sheds  down  dews  on  the  thirsting 
soul,  refreshing   airs  on  the  fainting  heart,  guiding 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  253 

light  on  the  bewildered  spirit;  and  reveals  to  our  en- 
raptured contemplation,  transcendent  and  inexhaus- 
tible glories.  As  God  inhabited  a  pillar  of  cloud  and 
of  fire,  that  was  the  protection  of  the  camp  of  Israel ; 
and  did  at  the  same  time  commune  with  them  through 
the  form  of  a  man  supposed  to  be  seen  between  the 
cherubim,  so  that  while  the  divine  nature  of  Christ  is 
our  glorious  covering,  he  in  whom  dwells  all  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Godhead  bodily,  communes  with  us  through 
the  human  nature  of  Jesus  Christ.  In  the  quaint  lan- 
guage of  Francis  Quarles — 

"Hath  thy  all-glorious  Deity  no  shade, 

Where  I  may  sit  and  vengeance  never  eye  me? 

See,  here's  a  shadow  found:  the  human  nature 
Is  made  th'  umbrella  to  the  Deity." 

This  shelter  can  never  decay:  He  is  the  same  yes- 
terday, to-day,  and  for  ever.  We  may  wander  to  the 
verge  of  creation,  without  being  beyond  the  limit  of 
this  defence.  The  temples  and  palaces  of  earth  are 
crumbling;  its  fortresses,  even  the  tower  of  David, 
and  the  stronghold  of  Zion,  are  in  ruins;  the  temple 
of  Solomon,  with  its  marbles,  its  cedars,  and  gold,  is 
in  the  dust ;  but  this  spiritual  covert  of  the  soul,  reared 
for  us  hard  by  the  tree  of  life  in  the  paradise  of  God, 
stands,  and  shall  stand,  through  ages  of  ages,  pure, 
fresh,  and  undecaying:  and  when  the  heavens  shall 
have  passed  away  with  a  great  noise,  and  the  earth, 
with  all  that  is  in  it,  be  consumed,  this  refuge,  the 
place  of  repose  of  the  Beloved  and  his  redeemed,  shall 
be  seen  emerging  from  the  ruins,  towering  on  the 
22* 


254  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

Hock  of  ages  in  imposing  grandeur,  and  crowned  with 
that  cloud  of  glory  which  is  the  light  of  the  upper 
world. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Ver.  1. — I  am  the  rose  of  Sharon,  and  the  lily  of  the 
valleys.* 

Reclining  thus  on  a  bed  of  grass  and  flowers,  and 
beneath  such  a  shade,  with  the  beauties  and  odours  of 
an  oriental  paradise  spreading  around,  the  beloved 
and  the  bride  naturally  speak  of  each  other  in  lan- 
guage drawn  from  the  beautiful  objects  under  their 
notice.  The  plain  of  Sharon  was  particularly  rich  in 
flowers.     The  orientals  have  ever  been  fond  of  images 

*  Patrick,  Henry,  and  Scott,  take  this  verse  as  the  language 
of  the  beloved,  and  consequently  the  rose  and  lily  as  the  em- 
blems of  Christ.  We  interpret  these  as  the  words  of  the  spouse, 
for  several  reasons.  1.  The  scope  of  the  passage  requires  this 
view;  because  the  evident  design  is  to  put  the  spouse  in  con- 
ti*ast  with  the  beloved,  by  comparison  of  the  rose  and  lily  with 
the  majesty  of  the  citron-tree.  2.  The  lily  is  in  the  next  verse 
expressly  applied  to  the  spouse;  and  these  two  verses  are  parts 
of  the  same  continuous  sentence ;  so  that  it  is  unreasonable  to 
apply  the  lily  as  the  emblem  of  Jesus  in  the  former  clause,  and 
then  find  it  restricted  to  the  saint  in  the  latter.  3.  The  Jewish 
interpreters  in  general  are  of  this  opinion.  4.  With  us  also 
agree  the  best  Chi'istian  expositors,  such  as  Rosenmuller,  De- 
litzsch,  Dopke,  Cocceius,  Michaelis,  Vatablus,  Ainsworth,  Ilar- 
mer,  Percy,  Fry,  Good,  &c. 

The  Septuagint  and  Vulgate  render  the  Hebrew  word  "rose," 
by  "flower;"  and  Sharon  they  translate,  not  as  a  proper  name, 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  255 

derived  from  the  rose.  The  Great  Mogul,  in  a  letter 
to  James  I.  of  England,  compliments  him  by  com- 
paring him  to  this  flower.  A  modern  eastern  poet  has 
the  same  thought,  when  speaking  of  Nischabur,  the 
city  in  which  he  resided:  he  says,  "I,  like  Atthar, 
that  fa'mous  poet,  came  out  of  the  garden  of  Nischa- 
bur; but  Atthar  was  the  rose  of  that  garden,  and  I 
am  only  a  bramble."  Pliny  reckons  the  lily  the  next 
plant  in  excellence  to  the  rose.  In  the  East,  as  with 
us,  it  is  the  emblem  of  purity  and  moral  excellence. 
So  the  Persian  poet  Sadi  compares  an  amiable  youth 
to  "the  white  lily  in  a  bed  of  narcissuses;"  because 
he  surpassed  all  the  young  shepherds  in  piety,  good- 
ness, and  vigilance.  The  spouse  is  evidently  speaking 
of  herself  in  a  modest,  humble  manner;  and  the  em- 

but  "a  plain,"  making  the  words  together  mean  "a  flower  of 
the  field."  Hence  Bishop  Percy  reads,  "I  am  a  mere  rose  of 
the  field."  Kitto,  however,  truly  remarks,  "  There  can  he  little 
doubt  that  the  rose  is  really  intended  by  the  Hebrew  word. 
Even  if  in  the  general  sense  it  should  mean  but  a  flower,  we 
should  still  infer  that  when  applied  in  a  particular  sense,  it 
means  a  rose ;  for  this  would  be  according  to  the  usage  of  the 
East.  Thus  the  Persian  word  gul  describes  a  flower  in  general, 
and  the  rose  par  excellence;  and  the  Arabic  term  icard  is  em- 
ployed in  the  same  acceptations."  In  the  East,  still  more  than 
with  us,  the  rose  is  the  queen  of  flowers.  In  May,  the  hills  to- 
wards Kama  and  Joppa,  as  going  from  Jerusalem,  were  found 
covered  with  white  and  pink  roses ;  the  gardens  of  Rama  were 
filled  with  roses  of  a  powerful  fragrance.  Mariti  states  that 
in  the  hamlet  of  St.  John,  in  the  desert  of  that  name,  "  the 
rose-plants  form  small  forests  in  the  gardens."  Burckhardt 
was  struck  with  the  number  of  rose-trees  he  found  among  the 
ruins  of  Bozra,  beyond  the  Jordan. 


256  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

blems  of  the  rose  and  lily  do,  therefore,  illustrate  the 
Christian  character  as  possessing  a  beauty  in  which 
delicacy,  lowliness,  and  purity,  are  leading  charac- 
teristics. 

Nothing  could  be  more  delicate  than  the  texture, 
hues,  and  fragrance  of  the  rose  and  lily.  When  even 
Sharon's  vale  was  filled  with  such  beauteous  flowers, 
so  soon  to  fade  and  wither  under  the  wintry  frosts  of 
the  curse,  shall  the  same  creative  power  form  with 
less  delicacy  those  souls  which  are  to  flourish  in  the 
freshness  of  immortality,  as  the  spiritual  roses  and 
lilies  by  the  river  of  life,  in  the  heavenly  Paradise  ? 
Piety  refines  our  whole  nature.  It  is  a  cleansing  from 
the  coarseness  and  defilement  of  sin.  It  purifies  the 
heart,  the  motives,  the  views,  the  aspirations,  the 
soul;  and  so  completely  does  it  bring  the  body  into 
subjection  to  this  spiritual  purity,  that  we  are  at  last 
invested  with  a  corporeal  frame  so  pure  that  its  na- 
ture can  be  expressed  only  by  calling  it  a  spiritual 
body.  This  purity  sheds  through  all  our  powers,  and 
all  our  actions,  an  increasing  and  delightful  delicacy 
of  sentiment,  thought,  and  feeling.  The  import  of  the 
word  "reverence,"  in  Heb.  xii.  28,  is  the  spiritual 
modesty,  the  delicate  sensibility,  diffused  through  the 
soul  by  the  pervading  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
which  brings  spontaneously  a  blush  over  the  heart, 
at  the  very  appearance,  or  mention,  or  thought  of  sin, 
without  our  taking  time  to  think  of  the  consequences 
of  the  act,  or  its  hatefulness  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Coarseness  of  feeling,  as  well  as  of  language  and  of 
action,  is  the  offspring  of  the  impurity  of  sin,  and  must 


SONG    Ui'    SOLOMON.  257 

disappear  under  the  purifying  energy  of  divine  grace. 
The  human  eye,  which  is  the  bodily  organ  attempered 
to  the  various  degrees  and  shades  of  light,  the  most 
subtile  form  of  matter  known  to  us,  is  the  most  deli- 
cate of  the  faculties  of  sense,  and  would  be  unfitted 
for  its  office,  were  it  less  exquisite  in  its  texture;  but 
the  splendour  of  the  stars,  the  grandeur  of  the  sun, 
the  tints  of  the  rainbow,  are  merely  representations  of 
the  excellence  of  him  who  points  to  light  as  the  best 
emblem  of  his  spiritual  purity;  and  as  the  pure  in 
heart  shall  see  God,  not  through  the  drapery  thrown 
around  him  when  he  clothes  himself  with  light  as  with 
a  garment,  but  in  his  unveiled  glory ;  who  can  tell  the 
delicate  sensibility  requisite  in  a  soul  for  beholding 
such  visions;  for  thus  contemplating  the  beauty  of 
holiness;  a  sensibility  which  the  Holy  Ghost  is  now 
diffusing  through  the  whole  fabric  of  our  being  by 
sanctification,  as  the  preparation  for  our  dwelling 
evermore  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty,  and 
enjoying  the  unutterable  beauties  there  unfolding  to 
the  view. 

Like  Jesus,  whose  yoke  we  bear,  the  believer  finds 
rest  for  his  soul  in  meekness  and  lowliness  of  heart.* 

*  "The  soul  of  a  true  Christian,  as  I  then  wrote  my  medita- 
tions, appeared  like  such  a  little  white  flower  as  we  see  in  the 
spring  of  the  year;  low  and  humble  on  the  ground,  opening 
its  bosom  to  receive  the  pleasant  beams  of  the  sun's  glory ; 
rejoicing,  as  it  were,  in  a  calm  rapture;  diffusing  around  a 
sweet  fragrancy;  standing  peacefully  and  lovingly,  in  the 
midst  of  other  flowers  round  about;  all  in  like  manner  open- 
ing their  bosoms  to  drink  in  the  light  of  the  sun." — Edwards' 
Works,  vol.  i.  p.  21. 


258  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

Love  is  not  more  certainly  the  distinguishing  virtue 
of  the  pious  character,  than  is  humility  its  vital 
grace.  Love  being  the  fruit  which  holiness  bears  in 
the  heart,  humility  is  the  root  by  which  it  is  nour- 
ished. When  the  righteous  flourish  like  the  palm- 
tree  and  grow  like  a  cedar  in  Lebanon;  when  he 
grows  as  the  lily  and  casts  forth  his  roots  as  Leba- 
non ;  when  his  branches  spread  and  his  beauty  is  as 
the  olive-tree ;  then  is  humility  the  root  which 
spreading  beneath,  as  the  branches  develope  above, 
supplies  life  and  nourishment  to  all  the  graces  of 
godliness.  Our  piety  may  ever  be  judged  by  our 
humility.  When  Jesus  Avould  cause  holiness  to  grow, 
he  places  us  in  situations  where  humility  may  ex- 
pand. The  rose  and  the  lily  could  hardly  be  expect- 
ed to  grow  with  vigour,  or,  if  growing  at  all,  to  put 
forth  the  fulness  of  their  beauty,  in  a  public  thorough- 
fare, the  streets  of  a  city,  or  the  halls  of  fashionable 
life:  in  secluded  retreats  of  the  country,  in  lowly 
meadows,  they  find  a  genial  soil.  In  scenes  with- 
drawn from  the  world  and  depressed,  unthronged 
with  the  crowds  who  seek  and  bestow  the  honours 
coming  from  man,  scenes  kindred  in  loneliness  to 
those  so  loved  by  him  who  was  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart,  does  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  place  those 
whose  holiness  he  would  have  to  blossom  as  the  rose ; 
whom  he  would  have  to  spread  out  their  root  by  the 
water,  and  the  dew  to  lie  all  night  on  their  branch. 

"He  sprang  from  a  stock  of  lowly  parentage 
Among  the  wilds  of  Scotland,  in  a  tract 
Where  many  a  sheltered  and  well-tended  plant 


SONO    OP    SOLOMON.  259 

Bears,  on  the  humblest  ground  of  social  life, 
Blossoms  of  piety  and  innocence."* 

Before  honour  is  humility.  When  God  is  about  to 
exalt  to  honour  or  usefulness  one  on  whom  his  love  is 
placed,  he  prepares  him  therefor  by  humiliation; 
and  when  the  blessings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are 
poured  on  the  soul  in  an  unusual  degree,  we  find  the 
way  was  prepared  for  them  by  humility,  and  by 
humility  are  they  attended.  The  richest  crowns  are 
beautified  with  gems,  gathered  in  untrodden  regions ; 
the  freshest  chaplets  are  woven  of  flowers  bathed  in 
the  dews  of  secluded  meadows: 

"Like  virtue,  thriving  most  where  little  seen." 
So  calm  is  the  prospect,  so  bracing  the  airs  of  the 
valley  of  Humiliation,  the  believer  says  with  Mercy, 
"  The  place,  methinks,  suits  with  my  spirit.  I  love 
to  be  in  such  places,  where  there  is  no  rattling  with 
coaches,  nor  rumbling  with  wheels:  methinks,  here 
one  may,  without  much  molestation,  be  thinking  what 
he  is,  whence  he  came,  what  he  has  done,  and  to  what 
the  King  has  called  him :  here  one  may  think,  and 
break  at  heart,  and  melt  in  one's  spirit,  until  one's 
eyes  become  as  the  fish-pools  of  Heshbon.  Behold 
how  green  this  valley  is;  also  how  beautiful  with 
lilies." 

Like  the  lily  of  the  valleys,  the  pious  soul  is  invest- 
ed with  a  loveliness  combining  purity  with  delicacy 
and  lowliness. 

"Our  thoughts 
Pleasant  as  roses  in  the  thickets  blown, 
And  pure  as  dew  bathing  their  crimson  leaves."* 

*  Wordsworth's  Excursion,  book  ii. 


260  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

Purity  and  holiness  are  inseparable.  Perhaps  we 
may  say  holiness  is  immaterial  purity,  the  moral  spot- 
lessness  of  spiritual  beings.  Holiness  works  purity; 
sin  works  corruption.  Taking  the  sinner  in  the 
midst  of  his  pollution,  with  a  body  tending  to  cor- 
ruption, because  the  dwelling-place  of  a  soul  under 
the  dominion  of  guilt,  the  Holy  Spirit  unfolds  by 
degrees  that  newness  of  life  which  swells  at  last 
into  the  perfect  holiness  and  dazzling  glory  of  both 
body  and  soul  in  heaven.  A  person  who  might 
possibly  be  unacquainted  with  the  growth  of  plants, 
would  hardly  believe  that  the  unsightly  root  of  a  lily, 
or  even  the  stalk  in  its  greenness,  could  be  developed 
into  so  rich  and  fragrant  a  flower.  The  same  Al- 
mighty energy  whose  Spirit  causes  the  seed  or  root 
to  grow  amid  earth  and  corruption  itself,  into  the 
flower  no  less  pure  and  beautiful  than  the  lily  or 
the  rose,  is  even  now  carrying  forward,  amid  our  cor- 
ruption of  soul  and  body,  a  growth  of  holiness  which 
shall  ripen  into  the  purity  and  beauty  of  heaven. 
Like  the  flower  of  the  lily  full-blown,  perfect  sanctifi- 
cation,  with  a  spiritual  body,  is  the  consummation  of 
our  redemption.  The  lilies  that  shall  adorn  the 
meadows  amid  which  winds  the  pure  river  of  water  of 
life,  are  the  souls  of  an  innumerable  multitude  "without 
spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing,"  who  have  washed 
their  robes  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  When  the  Holy  Spirit  first  dawns  on  the 
heart  at  the  new  birth,  we  are  surprised  at  the  degree 
of  our  impurity.  Often  will  it  seem  as  though  our 
prayers    and   struggles   against   the   tide  of  impure 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  2G1 

thoughts  and  desires  were  in  vain;  yet,  "shall  we 
know,  if  we  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord;  his  going 
forth  is  prepared  as  the  morning."  Over  the  soul  thus 
clouded  with  darkness  and  sin,  the  day  shall  break 
and  the  shadows  flee  away.  By  nature,  in  a  state  of 
darkness,  like  that  of  the  night  laden  with  chilling 
mists  and  noxious  vapours,  the  soul  receives  the  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit,  at  first  faint  and  gradual, 
as  the  early  dawn:  like  the  morning  light  which  goes 
on  and  shines  not  only  to  sunrise,  but  to  high  noon ; 
(more  literally,  the  fixed  part  of  the  day,  when  the 
sun  seems  to  stand  immovable  in  the  zenith;)  and 
then,  every  vapour  sunk,  every  cloud  vanished  away, 
lights  up  all  the  atmosphere  with  purity,  and  rains 
down  brilliancy  on  earth  and  heaven;  the  faint 
streaks  of  light  and  holiness  shooting  over  the  dark- 
ened soul  in  the  new  birth,  go  on  increasing  to  the 
brightness  of  mid-day  splendour  in  heaven,  where  all 
will  be  purity  and  glory,  as  the  Sun  of  Righteousness 
from  the  zenith  showers  on  the  heart  his  soft,  enli- 
vening rays. 

Ver.  2 — As  the  lily  among  thorns,  so  is  rny  love  among 
the  daughters. 

While  combining  these  excellences,  the  disposition 
of  the  believer  is  very  different  from  that  of  the  world. 
As  the  lily  among  thorns,  so  is  the  believer,  during 
his  probation,  "  among  them  that  are  set  on  fire,  even 
the  sons  of  men,  whose  teeth  are  spears  and  arrows, 
and  their  tongue  a  sharp  sword."  Ps.  lvii.  4.  The 
wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  bears  on  its  bosom 
23 


262  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

seeds  scattered  at  random,  and  springing  up  unno- 
ticed in  desolate  places;  even  as  the  Holy  Spirit, 
according  to  his  sovereign  will,  causes  the  seed  of  the 
word  to  take  root  in  souls  scattered  far  and  wide 
among  the  nations,  to  grow  here,  as  in  their  nursery, 
until  fit  for  transplanting  to  heaven.  The  saint  must 
expect  to  find  himself,  while  in  this  world,  among 
uncongenial  and  hostile  spirits.  Holiness,  however 
perfected,  will  not  alter  this  state  of  things.  Spotless 
though  he  may  be,  as  the  lily,  he  is  yet  the  lily  among 
thorns.  Through  his  first  disciples,  the  Lord  Jesus 
said  to  his  servants  in  all  ages,  "Behold,  I  send  you 
forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves."  Matt.  x.  16. 
Still  is  the  carnal  mind  enmity  against  God,  and 
against  the  sons  of  God;  still  the  wicked  watcheth 
the  righteous,  and  seeketh  to  slay  him.  Our  position 
is  surrounded  with  those  whose  evil  passions,  pride, 
haughtiness,  envy,  malice,  avarice,  sensuality,  vindic- 
tiveness,  bristling  from  their  hearts  on  every  side, 
make  it  difficult  for  us  to  move  without  encountering 
something  keener  than  thorns  or  drawn  swords,  by 
which  deep  and  excruciating  wounds  are  inflicted  on 
the  delicate  sensibility  of  the  heavenward  spirit.  We 
cannot  move  through  the  world  without  feeling  more 
or  less  of  these  lacerations.  Because  of  the  voice  of 
the  enemy,  because  of  the  oppression  of  the  wicked, 
how  often  does  the  bleeding  heart  feel,  "  0  that  I 
had  wings  like  a  dove,  for  then  would  I  fly  away  and 
be  at  rest."  As  much  care  is  necessary  in  dealing 
with  the  wicked,  as  in  handling  a  thorn  bush;  yet 
will  those  who  use  the  greatest  prudence,  frequently 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  263 

find  themselves  wounded.  With  the  best  wishes, 
offences  cannot  be  always  avoided:  "As  far  as  in  you 
lies,  live  peaceably  with  all  men."  Those  whose  souls 
are  brought  by  grace  nearest  to  the  delicacy  of  holi- 
ness set  forth  by  the  lily,  and  who  move  with  most  of 
steady,  un deviating  Christian  energy  through  the 
world,  are  made  to  feel  most  sensibly  that  the  believer 
is  here  a  lily  among  thorns.  Even  in  Christian  coun- 
tries, the  hearts  of  the  wicked  are  armed  with  as 
fierce  passions  against  piety  and  the  pious,  as  at  any 
former  age;  and  though  they  may  be  kept  out  of 
view  by  the  civilities  of  life,  change  of  circumstances 
often  brings  us  in  contact  with  them  where  we  had 
hoped  they  did  not  exist.  Accordingly,  our  Lord 
warns  us  that  in  becoming  his  disciples,  we  must  take 
up  the  cross,  must  prepare  for  suffering.  Ignorant 
of  the  true  state  of  things  here,  we  expect  too  much 
of  the  world,  and  thereby  injure  our  peace.  Deceived 
in  men  thought  worthy  of  confidence,  and  finding 
those  who  are  under  the  greatest  debt  of  gratitude 
treating  us  with  persecution  the  most  bitter,  we  would 
not  think  our  lot  singular  and  hard,  did  we  feel  that 
ingratitude  is  an  inseparable  feature  of  sin,  and  that 
as  Jesus  was  a  man  of  sorrows,  the  disciple  cannot  be 
above  his  Lord.  As  we  are  liable  to  do  even  good 
deeds  from  improper  motives,  God  has  kindly  placed 
us  in  a  world  where  we  are  thus  repelled  in  our  disin- 
terested acts;  and  are  laid  under  the  necessity  of 
doing  good  and  following  after  holiness,  not  from  any 
recompense  likely  to  be  got  from  men,  but  from  prin- 
ciple, from   love   to    God.      And   the   believer   who 


26-1  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

examines  carefully  his  infirmities,  and  the  peculiar 
discomforts  and  afflictions  meeting  him,  will  most  pro- 
bably find  that  these  ills  are  just  what  was  necessary 
for  counteracting  his  besetting  sins,  for  weakening  his 
propensities  which  are  unduly  strong,  and  for  strength- 
ening those  which  are  disproportionately  weak;  so 
that  his  life,  however  checkered  and  painful,  may 
constitute  a  course  of  discipline  most  wisely  adapted 
for  bringing  his  soul  into  the  perfect  balancing  of  all 
its  powers,  which  is  perfect  holiness.  Hence,  one 
course  of  life,  one  series  of  sorrows,  which  may  be  the 
best  possible  for  the  chastisement  and  discipline  of  a 
heart  with  one  class  of  infirmities,  would  not  be  at  all 
applicable  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  another  with  fail- 
ings very  different.  One  man  on  whom  God  has  set 
his  love,  may  be  of  such  a  disposition  that  riches 
would  ruin  him;  and  it  is  necessary  for  his  prepara- 
tion for  heaven  that  these  be  denied  him,  and  he  be 
tried  with  something  of  a  different  kind.  Another 
may  be  so  constituted  that  praise  would  foster  vanity 
and  pride;  and  he  can  be  kept  humble  most  safely 
by  being  depreciated  and  maligned ;  while  another 
may  pass  through  the  fiery  ordeal  of  worldly  applause 
with  less  danger  of  injury.  Hence  those  who  are 
called  to  greatest  holiness  are  called  to  greatest  mor- 
tifications; and  the  apostle  exhorts  his  son  Timothy 
no  less  than  ten  or  twelve  times  in  his  second  Epistle, 
to  bear  with  evil,  to  endure  hardness.  Too  often, 
alas,  is  this  hardness  to  be  borne  from  brethren  from 
whose  hearts  the  remains  of  sin  have  not  been  removed 
by  grace.    Well  did  Luther  say,  "If  thou  art  the  lily 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  2G5 

and  the  rose  of  Christ,  know  that  thy  dwelling-place 
is  among  thorns.  Only  take  heed  lest  by  impatience, 
rash  judgments,  and  pride,  thou  thyself  become  a 
thorn." 

Ver.  8. — As  the  apple-tree  among  the  trees  of  the 
wood,  so  is  my  beloved  among  the  sons.  I  sat  down  under 
his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and  his  fruit  was  sweet  to 
my  taste. 

Having  given  in  the  two  foregoing  verses  the 
character  of  the  believer  as  represented  by  the  rose 
and  the  lily,  the  Song  sets  forth  in  these  words  the 
charms  of  him,  who  is  the  object  of  the  believer's 
love.  These  illustrations,  the  rose,  the  lily,  and  the 
apple-tree,  are  such  as  would  naturally  fall  under  the 
view  of  persons  reposing  on  a  bed  of  flowers  in  an 
oriental  garden,  as  seen  in  chap.  i.  16.  Compar- 
isons drawn  from  the  tree  are  not  unfrequently 
applied  to  Jesus  in  the  Scriptures.  Isaiah  says, 
"There  shall  come  forth  a  shoot  from  the  stem  of 
Jesse,  and  a  branch  shall  grow  out  of  his  roots ;  and 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  him."  The 
promised  Messiah  was  called  the  Branch,  foreshowing 
that  like  a  shoot  or  twig  springing  from  the  stump  of 
a  tree,  he  should  spring  from  the  stock  of  Judah, 
through  the  family  of  Jesse.  The  two  natures  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  are  here  pointed  out — his  coming  forth 
as  a  branch,  representing  him  to  be  the  Son  of  man, 
while  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  resting  on  him  shows  him 
to  be  the  Son  of  God.  He  is  here  represented  under 
the  figure  of  that  shoot  or  branch  full  grown,  of  a 
tree.  The  citron-tree  seems  to  be  the  one  here  in- 
23* 


266  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

tended.  The  name  is  derived  from  the  fragrance  it 
exhales.  The  foliage  is  perpetual;  there  is  no  time, 
not  even  mid-winter,  when  there  may  not  be  seen  on 
it  a  profusion  of  flowers;  there  is  throughout  the 
year  a  continual  succession  of  blossoms,  young  fruit, 
and  ripe  fruit,  at  the  same  time ;  the  fruit  was  of  the 
colour  of  gold,  very  pleasant  to  the  taste,  very  fra- 
grant, and  reviving  to  those  who  were  ready  to  faint; 
the  leaves  are  studded  with  small  glands  to  which  the 
tree  owes  its  rich  fragrance.  The  shade  of  this  tree 
is  deep   and  refreshing.*     Maundrell  speaks  of  the 

*  Shade  is  an  article  of  oriental  luxury.  "In  this  fairy-like 
garden,  thei-e  were  very  few  flowers ;  but  shade  and  greenery 
are  every  thing  in  this  glaring  climate ;  and  it  was  passing 
pleasant  to  stroll  along  these  paths,  all  shadowy  with  orange- 
trees,  whose  fruit,  'like  lamps  in  a  night  of  green/  hung 
temptingly  over  our  heads.  The  fragrance  of  large  beds  of 
roses  mingled  with  that  of  the  orange  flower,  and  seemed  to 
repose  on  the  quiet  airs  of  the  calm  evening.  In  the  midst  of 
the  garden  we  came  to  a  vast  pavilion,  glittering  like  porce- 
lain, and  supported  on  light  pillars,  which  formed  cloisters 
surrounding  an  immense  marble  basin,  in  the  centre  of  which, 
sparkling  waters  gushed  from  a  picturesque  fountain.  Through 
the  clear  depths  of  the  waters  gleamed  shoals  of  gold  and  sil- 
ver fish." — Warburion.  "That  variety  of  fragrant  lemon 
called  the  'citron/  attains  its  highest  perfection  in  Palestine, 
and  is  very  abundant;  and  by  the  consent  of  the  Jewish  wri- 
ters themselves,  as  well  as  from  the  probability  of  the  case,  we 
apprehend  that  'citron'  is  always  to  be  understood  by  the 
word  translated  'apple'  in  the  common  version.  That  the  cit- 
ron was  well  known  to  the  Hebrews,  we  learn  from  Josephus, 
who  mentions  that  on  one  occasion,  at  the  feast  of  tabernacles, 
King  Alexander  Jannasus  "was  pelted  in  the  temple  with  cit- 
rons, which  the  Jews  had  in  their  hands — for  which  he  assigns 


SONO     OP     SOLOMON.  267 

very  great  beauty  of  the  orange  garden  or  citron 
grove,  at  Beroot,  attached  to  the  emir's  palace.  The 
"walks  were  shaded  with  orange-trees  of  a  large  spread- 
ing size,  and  all  of  so  fine  a  growth  that  nothing  could 
be  imagined  more  perfect,  and  "gilded  with  fruit 
hanging  thick  upon  them.  Around  were  booths,  and 
summer-houses,  and  other  apartments,  very  delight- 
ful." The  difference  between  citron  and  orange-trees 
is  hardly  discernible  except  by  the  fruit,  which  in 
both  is  of  the  same  golden  colour.  Such  a  tree,  there- 
fore, as  the  citron,  standing  among  the  trees  of  the 
forest,  must  be  an  object  of  pre-eminent  beauty  and 
strong  attraction.  Thus  is  Jesus  distinguished  "among 
the  sons."  Him  hath  God  anointed  with  the  oil  of 
gladness  above  his  fellows,  Heb.  i.  9;  that  is,  through 
the  Holy  Spirit  given  without  measure  to  Christ,  God 
has  conferred  on  him  a  nature  more  excellent  than 
that  of  his  fellows,  those  associated  with  him  in  the 
work  of  redemption,  whether  angels,  or  prophets,  or 
saints.  As  the  citron-tree  stood  in  an  atmosphere  of 
perfume  rising  in  continual  freshness  from  its  peren- 
nial bloom,  the  human  nature  of  Jesus  dwells  in  the 
midst  of  the  spiritual  fragrance  breathing  in  his  divine 
nature,  and  encompassing  him  for  evermore  on  every 

the  reason,  that  the  law  required  that  at  that  feast  every  one 
should  have  hunches  of  the  palm-trea  and  the  citron-tree. 
The  fruit  of  the  citron-tree  is  much  used  hy  the  oriental  ladies 
to  smell  to,  for  which  purpose,  they  often  have  it  in  their 
hands,  or  within  reach,  and,  as  its  fragrance  is  considered 
most  reviving,  it  is  employed  for  much  the  same  purpose  as  a 
scent-bottle  in  this  country." — Kitto. 


268  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

side  in  the  infinity  of  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead. 
Modern  poetry  has  adopted  the  spirit  of  this  illustra- 
tion: 

"The  mountain  ash 
No  eye  can  yet  overlook,  when  'mid  a  grove 
Of  yet  unfaded  trees  she  lifts  her  head 
Deck'd  with  autumnal  berries,  that  outshine 
Spring's  richest  blossoms;  and  ye  may  have  marked 
By  a  brook  side  or  solitary  tarn, 
How  she  her  station  doth  adorn.     The  pool 
Glows  at  her  feet,  and  all  the  gloomy  rocks 
Are  brightened  round  her.     In  his  native  vale, 
Such  and  so  glorious  did  this  youth  appear; 
A  sight  that  kindled  pleasure  in  all  hearts 
By  his  ingenuous  beauty."* 

And  the  meaning  of  the  passage  has  been  well  ex- 
pressed in  the  words, 

"From  Jesse's  root  behold  a  branch  arise, 
Whose  sacred  flower  with  fragrance  fills  the  skies : 
The  ethereal  spirit  o'er  its  leaves  shall  move, 
And  on  its  top  descends  the  mystic  Dove."f 

While  the  pious  spirit  is  lowly,  though  beautiful  like 
the  lily,  with  the  beauty  and  majesty  of  the  citron- 
tree,  Jesus  towers  above  all  others,  in  the  infinite 
grandeur  of  his  divinity,  as  the  Son  of  God.  The 
crown  of  glory  and  honour  resting  on  him  who  was 
made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  is  the  glorious 
crown  of  his  eternal  divinity. 

He  is  the  shade  of  his  people.     The  Lord  is  thy 
shade  on  thy  right  hand.     A  shade  does  not  deprive 

*  Wordsworth's  Excursion,  book  vii. 
f  Pope's  Messiah. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  269 

of  the  light  of  the  sun.  It  so  breaks  and  tempers 
the  force  of  the  beams  as  to  keep  them  from  injuring 
us;  and  enables  us  to  enjoy  their  brilliancy  and 
"warmth.  Nothing  does  this  more  pleasingly  than  the 
stately,  spreading  boughs  of  the  citron-tree.  What 
this  shade  did  for  the  body,  the  Lord  Jesus  does  for 
the  soul.  Exposed  to  the  full  blaze  of  the  justice  of 
him  who  is  a  consuming  fire,  we  must  be  blasted  and 
destroyed,  did  not  Christ  spread  between  us  and  him 
whose  jealousy  burns  like  fire,  that  which  Israel's 
covering  of  cloud  represented  in  the  desert,  his  own 
divine  nature.  When  the  soul  feels  the  agonies  of 
conviction  for  sin,  how  sensible  is  the  change,  how 
reviving  the  shelter,  as  we  pass  under  the  shadow  of 
the  cross,  and  feel  around  us  the  refreshing  influences 
of  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  Within  that  sacred 
shelter,  no  evil  spirit  can  enter,  no  affliction  injure, 
no  fiery  dart  fall. 

The  apple-tree  yielded  a  profusion  of  the  richest 
fruits  in  uninterrupted  abundance.  Its  fruit  was 
highly  esteemed  as  sweet  to  the  taste,  of  refreshing 
fragrance,  and  of  the  colour  of  gold.  A  word  fitly 
spoken  is  compared  to  apples  of  gold,  or  the  golden 
coloured  fruit  of  the  citron,  in  baskets  of  silver.  Prov. 
xxv.  11.  With  richer  fruits  than  these,  does  Jesus 
satisfy  the  soul  that  rests  under  his  shadow.  He  is  a 
tree  of  life  to  them  that  lay  hold  on  him.  Prov.  iii.  18. 
He  alone  can  satisfy  the  cravings  of  the  heart.  All 
attempts  to  pacify  these  restless  desires,  these  surges 
of  conscience,  by  any  amount  of  property,  or  things 
of  the  world,  is  as  unreasonable  as  to  try  to  quiet  the 


270  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

billows  of  the  tempestuous  sea,  by  pouring  into  its 
remorseless  caverns  treasures  and  gems.  From  the 
presence  of  him  whose  power  was  felt  on  the  sea  of 
Galilee,  goes  forth  the  influence  which  carries  to  the 
depths  of  the  soul  a  great  calm.  Peace  he  gives  unto 
us,  that  he  may  give  unto  us  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life, 
which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  Paradise  of  God.  This 
elder  brother,  a  greater  than  Joseph,  who  has  gone 
before  us  into  heaven  to  preserve  life,  is  a  fruitful 
bough,  even  a  fruitful  bough  by  a  well,  whose  branches 
run  over  the  wall,  separating  us  from  the  invisible 
world ;  and  sweet  indeed  must  be  the  fruits  gathered 
therefrom,  when  their  native  soil  is  heaven,  and  they 
are  the  same  which  shall  throughout  eternity  satisfy 
the  redeemed. 

The  weary  pilgrim,  on  coming  to  the  citron-tree, 
would  be  delighted  with  the  majesty  of  its  appear- 
ance, the  protection  of  its  shade,  the  richness  of  its 
fragrance,  and  the  delightfulness  of  its  fruit.*  As  we 
come  to  Jesus,  care-worn  with  guilt  and  sorrow,  he 
impresses  us  with  the  grandeur  of  his  divinity,  the 
excellence  of  his  protecting  righteousness,  the  blessed- 
ness shed  around  us  by  his  Spirit,  and  the  richness  of 

*  "At  the  foot  of  each  tree  is  a  little  circular  carpet  of  ver- 
dure."—  Warburton.  "There  is  something  peculiarly  delight- 
ful in  the  shade  of  the  fig-tree.  .It  is  far  superior  to  the  shelter 
of  a  tent,  and  perhaps  even  to  the  shadow  of  a  rock ;  since 
not  only  does  the  mass  of  heavy  foliage  completely  exclude 
the  rays  of  the  sun,  but  the  traveller  finds  under  it  a  peculiar 
coolness,  arising  from  the  air  gently  creeping  through  the 
branches." — Mission  of  Inquiry,  p.  108. 


SONQ     OF     SOLOMON.  271 

tlie  fruits  of  holiness  found  in  the  Scriptures,  in  the 
earnest  of  the  Spirit  in  the  practice  of  a  heavenly 
temper,  and  in  the  anticipation  of  future  glory  in 
heaven.  Here  are  richer  than  the  golden  fruits  of 
the  Hesperides;  and  this  Angel  of  the  covenant  has 
destroyed  the  dragon  that  guarded  them,  that  old  ser- 
pent, which  is  the  devil  and  Satan.  In  this  shadow 
does  the  soul  delight;  here  would  we  sit  down  in  the 
fulness  of  joy,  with  the  feeling,  "This  is  my  rest  for 
ever,  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it;"  here 
does  God  abundantly  bless  our  provision  and  satisfy 
the  poor  with  bread;  here  does  he  clothe  his  priests 
with  salvation  and  his  saints  shout  aloud  for  joy.  Ps. 
exxxii.  14. 

The  cool  shadow  of  this  lofty,  beautiful,  and  fra- 
grant tree,  offered  an  asylum  into  which  the  spouse 
might  well  delight  to  retreat  from  the  oppressive  heat 
of  noon.  The  exquisite  perfume,  the  cooling  shade, 
the  beauty  of  the  flowers,  and  the  richness  of  the  fruit, 
combined  to  make  it  a  retreat  the  most  delightful.  In 
Jesus,  the  tree  of  life,  we  find  the  fragrance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  shade  of  his  divine  righteousness,  the 
beauties  of  his  nature  budding  forth  in  infinite  variety, 
and  the  precious  fruits  of  his  grace  and  truth — all 
uniting  to  render  his  shadow  desirable  and  delightful. 
Hence  do  we  sit  down  under  his  shadow  with  great 
pleasure:  "In  this  shade  I  desire  to  sit  down." 
While  the  desire  of  the  worldling  is  towards  the  en- 
joyments spread  around  by  riches,  or  fame,  or  flattery, 
or  ease,  looking  unto  Jesus,  we  say,  "The  desire  of 
our  soul  is  to  thy  name,  and  to  the  remembrance  of 


272  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

thee."  Isa.  xxvi.  8.  An  intelligent  traveller  in  the 
East  could  find  no  other  refuge  from  the  heat  of  sum- 
mer than  a  recess  cut  into  the  bank  of  the  river  where 
it  rose  perpendicularly  from  the  water's  edge,  and 
formed  into  a  small  room  by  screening  the  front  with 
reeds  and  boughs  of  trees,  and  covering  the  whole 
with  similar  materials:  such  places,  though  infested 
with  reptiles,  were  the  best  retreat  that  could  be 
found.*  In  what  contrast  with  this  stands  the  shelter 
afforded  by  the  citron-tree.  More  uncomfortable  and 
miserable  than  the  former,  is  the  refuge  found  by 
those  who  have  their  portion  in  this  world;  infinitely 
more  delightful  than  the  latter,  is  the  sanctuary  found 
by  those  whose  resting-place  is  under  the  shadow 
of  Christ.  Around  this  place  of  repose  the  richest 
fruits  continually  fall.  As  entertainments  under  trees 
are  common  in  the  East,  the  soul  that  abides  under 
the  shadow  of  the  Almighty  Redeemer,  feeds  on 
those  pleasant  words  which  are  as  an  honey-comb, 
sweet  to  the  soul  and  health  to  the  bones.  Prov.  xvi.  24. 
These  truths  do  now  excite  in  the  depths  of  the  soul 
sensations  as  delightful  as  those  which  shall  be  felt  in 
heaven  from  eating  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  life. 

Ver.  4. — He  brought  rne  to  the  banqueting-house,  and 
his  banner  over  me  was  love. 

Finding  the  spouse  under  the  apple-tree,  ch.  viii.  5, 
lie  leads  her  to  the  banqueting-house,  the  house  of 
wine,  a  place  beautified  with  every  ornament,  and 
stored  with  every  thing   refreshing   and   delightful. 

*  Layard's  Nineveh,  vol.  i.  110. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  273 

Among  the  apartments  of  his  palace,  Solomon  built,* 
according  to  Josephus,  "a  most  glorious  dining-room, 
for  feastings  and  compotations,  and  full  of  gold  and 
such  other  furniture  as  so  fine  a  room  ought  to  have 
for  the  conveniency  of  the  guests ;  and  where  all  the 
vessels  were  made  of  gold."  To  this  hall  reference 
seems  to  be  made,  rather  than  to  the  places  where  their 
wine  was  stored.  No  pains  were  spared  to  make  such 
rooms  the  most  splendid  possible,  as  may  be  still  seen 
in  oriental  palaces.  In  a  hall  of  the  Alhambra,  "the 
eye  is  lost  in  contemplating  the  rich  assemblage  of 
ornamentals  which  appear  in  every  part  of  this  noble 
hall.  From  the  pavement  to  the  beginning  of  the 
arches  the  walls  are  decorated  with  elegant  mosaic; 
the  panels  between  the  arches  are  filled  with  a  very 
delicate  ornament,  which,  at  a  little  distance,  has  the 
appearance  of  a  plain  mass ;  and  the  ceiling  is  com- 
posed of  stalactites  in  stucco,  and  is  finished  in  a 
style  of  equal  elegance.  The  distribution  of  the  vari- 
ous parts  of  this  noble  apartment  is  truly  enchanting. 
The  balconies  above  were  occupied  by  musicians ;  be- 

*  Speaking  of  Solomon's  palace,  Josephus  says:  "It  would 
be  an  endless  task  to  give  a  particular  survey  of  this  mighty 
mass  of  building;  so  many  courts  and  other  contrivances;  such 
a  variety  of  chambers  and  offices,  great  and  small;  long  and 
large  galleries;  vast  rooms  of  state,  and  others  for  feasting  and 
entertainment,  set  out  as  richly  as  could  be  with  costly  furni- 
ture and  gildings;  besides,  that  all  the  service  for  the  king's 
table  were  of  pure  gold.  In  a  word,  the  whole  palace  was,  in 
a  manner,  made  up,  from  the  base  to  the  coping,  of  white  mar- 
ble, cedar,  gold,  and  silver,  with  precious  stones  here  and  there 
intermingled  upon  the  walls  and  ceilings." — Antiq.  viii.  5,  2. 
24 


274  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

low  sat  the  women;  while  a  jet  of  water  in  the  centre 
diffused  a  refreshing  coolness  through  the  hall.  The 
windows  in  the  back-ground  are  finished  in  a  similar 
manner,  and  look  into  a  little  myrtle  garden."  Some- 
thing like  this  must  have  been  witnessed  when  the 
Queen  of  Sheba  saw  all  Solomon's  wisdom,  and  the 
house  that  he  had  built,  and  the  meat  of  his  table,  and 
the  sitting  of  his  servants,  and  the  attendance  of  his 
ministers,  and  their  apparel,  and  his  cup-bearers,  and 
his  ascent  by  which  he  went  up  into  the  house  of  the 
Lord ;  and  there  was  no  more  spirit  in  her.  Far  more 
glorious  is  the  place  into  which  Jesus  brings  our  souls, 
on  that  mountain  where  he  has  made  unto  all  people 
a  feast  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines  on  the 
lees  well  refined.  Isa.  xxv.  6.  Here,  our  dwelling- 
place  is  amid  walls  formed  of  divine  goodness,  Ps. 
xxv.  13;  our  light  is  the  Shechinah  of  the  Spirit's 
presence ;  our  food  is  the  hidden  manna ;  our  cup  sal- 
vation ;  our  drink  the  new  wine  of  the  heavenly  king- 
dom ;  our  anointing  the  oil  of  gladness ;  our  minis- 
tering attendants  angels ;  and  the  banner  over  us  is 
love. 

Nothing  can  be  so  excellent  as  the  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  How  excellent  the  fragrance  of  the 
citron  bloom,  the  effect  of  wine !  no  comparison  can 
be  drawn  between  these  and  the  ethereal  excellence 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  When  we  feed  on  any  thing,  it 
is  so  brought  into  contact  with  us  as  to  nourish  our 
life ;  and  when  the  Spirit's  influences  are  so  diffused 
through  the  soul  as  to  sustain  its  life,  we  may  be  said 
to  feed  on  his  grace.     Hence   it  is  written,  "Man 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  275 

shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that 
proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God."  Matt.  iv.  4. 
There  is  literally  such  a  thing  as  feeding  on  truth; 
and  the  place  where  these  spiritual  provisions  are 
enjoyed  in  abundance,  may  well  be  called  the  ban- 
queting house.  How  superior  to  every  thing  else  in 
the  world,  is  the  banquet  spread  for  us  by  Jesus! 
The  truths  and  doctrines  of  Scripture,  so  rich,  better 
than  thousands  of  gold  and  silver,  are  the  means, 
sacred  vessels  brought  from  heaven,  for  conveying  to 
us  this  food  of  the  Spirit.  Here  we  banquet  on  the 
riches  of  redeeming  love.  The  man  who  feeds  on 
fame,  flattery,  riches,  power,  has  nothing  better  than 
the  husks  of  the  dying  prodigal ;  while  those  who  are 
Christ's,  share  the  luxuries  of  the  marriage-supper  of 
the  Lamb. 

"  His  banner  over  me  was  love."  He  brings  us  to 
this  feast,  with  the  exultation  of  a  conqueror  return- 
ing in  triumph  with  a  loved  one  wrested  from  the 
power  of  an  enemy.  Jesus  is  called  the  Captain  of 
our  salvation,  Heb.  ii.  10,  a  name  which  is  applied  in 
the  New  Testament  to  none  but  Christ,  and  signifies 
a  chief  or  commander,  one  who  leads  a  column  and 
directs  its  movements.  "When  Abraham  heard  that 
his  brother  was  taken  captive,  he  armed  his  trained 
servants,  and  pursued  the  enemy,  smote  them,  and 
brought  back  Lot,  and  his  goods,  and  the  people: 
thus  has  Jesus  come  to  our  rescue,  and  delivered  us 
from  bondage  to  the  powers  of  darkness.  He  is  still 
"Captain  of  the  host  of  the  Lord,"  as  when  he  ap- 
peared to  Joshua  before  Jericho;  and  is  leading  the 


276  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

spiritual  host,  who,  from  a  period  earlier  than  that  of 
Abraham,  have  been  pressing  onward  towards  the 
Canaan  on  high.  The  banner  of  this  conqueror  and 
king  of  glory  has  its  inscription  and  symbol.  Unlike 
the  military  nations  of  the  world,  whose  lust  has  been 
for  war,  and  whose  emblems  have  been  expressive  of 
their  character,  as  the  eagle  on  the  standards  of 
Rome,  he,  as  the  Prince  of  peace,  has  the  dove  as  the 
symbol  of  his  kingdom ;  and  has  a  banner  woven  of 
the  precious  fabric  of  love.  When  combatants  raise 
a  red  flag,  it  is  for  showing  a  determination  to  shed 
blood;  the  black  flag  is  the  signal  that  no  quarter 
may  be  expected;  a  white  banner  bespeaks  the  desire 
for  peace.  With  what  propriety  therefore  is  the  ban- 
ner of  Jesus  said  to  be  love. 

A  banner  rallies  to  the  defence  of  the  person  over 
whom  it  floats,  all  the  resources  of  the  empire  to 
which  it  belongs:  wherever  he  wanders,  this  simple 
symbol  calls  up  around  him  bulwarks  invisible,  but 
mighty  with  an  empire's  strength.  Thus,  under  all 
circumstances  in  life,  and  in  death,  the  love  of  Christ 
enlists  all  the  perfections  of  the  Godhead  in  behalf  of 
his  saint.  As  the  flag  shows  to  what  country  we  be- 
long, so  by  love  we  are  shown  to  be  citizens  of  heaven. 
As  the  banner  of  his  country  is  an  object  of  honoura- 
ble pride  to  the  good  citizen,  thus  while  the  wise  man 
glories  in  his  wisdom,  and  the  rich  man  in  his  riches, 
and  the  brave  man  in  his  valour,  the  saint  glories 
only  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  in  possessing  there- 
by the  divine  love.  Poetry  has  delighted  to  por- 
tray the  affection  of  the  soldier  for  the  flag  of  his 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  277 

country;  and  true  to  the  feelings  of  human  nature,  is 
the  dying  patriot  said  to  look  upwards  to  its  folds, 

"And  smile  to  see  its  splendours  fly, 
In  triumph  o'er  his  closing  eye." 

When  he  who  has  fought  the  good  fight,  and  endured 
hardness  as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,  finds  the 
dimness  of  death  on  his  eye,  and  its  coldness  on  his 
heart,  how  will  his  spirit  revive  on  seeing  over  him 
this  banner  of  love !  And  as  a  dying  patriot  requested 
that  the  flag  under  which  he  had  fought  and  con- 
quered might  be  placed  under  his  head  for  a  pillow, 
as  life  was  ebbing  away;  then,  with  our  sinking  head 
pillowed  on  the  divine  love,  while  over  us  floats  the 
banner  of  love,  as  paleness  comes  over  the  lips,  and 
dimness  over  the  eye,  and  coldness  over  the  heart, 
shall  the  last  beat  of  the  heart  send  up  to  heaven 
the  shout — Victory  through  Jesus  Christ. 

Ver.  5,  6. — Stay  me  with  flagons,*  comfort  mc  with 
apples :  for  I  am  sick  of  love.  His  left  hand  is  under  my 
head,  and  his  right  hand  doth  embrace  me. 

In  these  words  the  spouse  expresses  the  impression 
made  on  her  by  the  display  of  love  in  the  banqueting 

*  In  Kitto's  Cyc.  Bib.  Lit.,  art.  Wine,  10,  there  is  a  disser- 
tation on  the  Hebrew  word  here  rendered  "flagons."  From  it 
we  extract  the  following,  found  in  Olearius:  "The  Persians 
arc  permitted  to  make  a  sirrup  of  sweet  wine,  which  they  boyl 
till  it  be  reduced  to  a  sixth  part,  and  be  grown  as  thick  as  oyl. 
They  call  this  drug  duschab,  and  when  they  would  take  of  it, 
they  dissolve  it  with  water.  Sometimes  they  boyl  the  duschab 
so  long  that  they  reduce  it  into  a  paste,  for  the  convenience  of 
travellers,  who  cut  it  with  a  knife,  and  dissolve  it  in  water. 
At  Tabris  they  make  a  certain  conserve  of  it,  which  they  call 

24* 


278  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

house — "I  am  sick  of  love."  From  the  beginning  of 
the  Song,  we  have  had  illustrations  of  the  soul  as  led 
along  from  one  degree  to  another  of  holy  love,  till 
reaching  here  the  highest  degree  of  spiritual  enjoy- 
ment possible  in  the  present  world.  The  Holy  Spirit 
may  so  fill  the  heart  with  his  influences  as  to  make  us 
literally  "sick  of  love;"  purifying  our  power  of  ap- 
prehension, and  exciting  irrepressible  desires  for  see- 
ing more  of  our  Lord.  As  hope  deferred  maketh  the 
heart  sick,  these  longing  desires  run  ahead  of  our 
enjoyment,  and,  indeed,  of  our  capability  of  enjoying 
Jesus;  and  these  desires,  thus  unsatisfied,  make  us 
sick  of  love.  This  state  of  heart  is  caused  by  ardour 
of  affection,  and  inability  to  enjoy  the  society  of  the 
object  of  affection  fully  as  we  desire;  by  longings, 
sometimes  so  deep  as  to  be  expressed  only  in  groan- 
ings  that  cannot  be  uttered,  to  behold  Jesus  in  the 
fulness  of  his  glory.  With  Moses,  we  pray  without 
ceasing,  "I  beseech  thee,  show  me  thy  glory." 
"  There  be  some  kind  of  assurances,"  says  Leighton,* 
"that  are  more  rare  and  extraordinary,  some  imme- 
diate glances  or  coruscations  of  the  love  of  God  upon 

helwa,  mixing  therewith  beaten  almonds,  flour,  &c.  They  put 
this  mixture  into  a  long  and  narrow  bag,  and  having  set  it 
under  the  press,  they  make  of  it  a  paste,  which  grows  so  hard 
that  a  man  must  have  a  hatchet  to  cut  it."  This  statement 
reconciles  the  version  in  the  text  with  that  which  is  preferred 
by  those  who  render  the  word  "  cakes — such  as  were  prepared 
from  dried  grapes  or  raisins,  pressed  or  compacted  into  a  cer- 
tain form." 

*  Sermon  on  Horn.  viii.  35. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  J,l\) 

the  soul  of  a  believer,  a  smile  of  his  countenance,  and 
this  doth  exceedingly  refresh,  yea,  ravish  the  soul, 
and  enables  it  mightily  for  duties  and  sufferings." 
This  was  the  experience  of  Bunyan's  Pilgrim,  when 
towards  the  end  of  his  course,  "by  reason  of  the 
natural  glory  of  the  city,  and  the  reflection  of  the 
sunbeams  upon  it,  Christian  with  desire  fell  sick." 
Rutherford's  Letters  abound  in  expressions  of  this 
state  of  heart.  In  the  words  of  John  Howe,*  "  There 
will  be  a  sickness  at  the  heart  by  the  delay  of  what  I 
hope  for,  most  of  all,  when  sun  of  my  blessedness  is 
the  thing  hoped  for,  and  still  deferred.  .They  that 
never  felt  their  hearts  sick  with  the  desire  of  heaven, 
and  the  blessedness  of  that  state,  cannot  conceive  of 
it  a  tree  of  life  beforehand,  nor  ever  know  what 
patience  in  expecting  it  signifies  in  the  meantime." 
Even  yet  there  are  souls  thus  exercised,  that  are  con- 
strained to  pray  with  an  ancient  saint,*  "Lord,  with- 

*  Sermon  on  Heb.  x.  36.  An  eminent  divine  now  in  glory, 
than  whom  no  man  understood  theology  better,  either  in  a 
didactic  or  practical  point  of  view,  once  remarked  to  us,  in  a 
conversation  on  this  subject,  that  there  were  probably  more  of 
these  exercises  among  scattered  members  of  the  Church,  than 
was  generally  supposed.  There  can  be  no  doubt  this  is  the 
case.  Nor  are  such  instances  as  that  recorded  of  Dr.  Green 
confined  always  to  the  closing  scene.  "On  the  Sabbath  but 
one  before  his  death,  after  the  family  had  returned  from  the 
morning  service,  it  was  observed  on  entering  his  room  that  his 
mind  was  burdened  with  meditations  to  which  he  wished  to 
give  utterance,  and  that  his  emotions  were  producing  a  rest- 
lessness and  agitation  that  were  inexplicable.  The  reading  by 
a  friend  of  the  first  chapter  of  the  Gospel  of  John,  not  only 
allayed  that  distressing   nervous   excitement,  but   seemed   to 


280  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

draw  a  little,  lest  the  brittle  vial  of  my  heart  should 
burst  by  the  rays  of  thy  favour  darting  too  strongly." 

"Then  shall  thy  ravisht  soul  inspired  bee 
"With  heavenly  thoughts  farre  above  humane  skil ; 
And  thy  bright  radiant  eyes  shall  planely  see 
Th'  idee  of  his  pure  glorie  present  still 
Before  thy  face;  that  all  thy  spirits  shall  fill 
'With  sweete  enragement  of  celestiall  love, 
Kindled  through  sight  of  those  faire  things  above."* 

In  this  state  the  predominating  feeling  of  the  soul 
is  deep  and  melting  contrition. f  It  is  with  the  con- 
impart  a  sort  of  inspiration,  by  which  his  faculties  were  for 
the  time  emancipated:  his  tongue  was  loosed,  and  he  burst  out 
into  an  ecstasy  of  joy  and  thanksgiving.  His  voice  was  loud, 
his  enunciation  clear  and  distinct  as  it  had  been  in  the  best 
days  of  his  ministry;  and  this  elevated  strain  of  praise  and 
holy  exultation  was  continued  until  his  strength  was  exhausted, 
and  he  sunk  into  a  sweet  and  refreshing  sleep." — Dr.  Jones's 
Life  of  Dr.  Green,  p.  498. 

"x"  Spenser's  Hymn  of  Heavenly  Love. 

f  My  gloom  was  very  often  relieved  greatly  by  the  highest 
exercises  of  a  spiritual  kind  that  I  have  ever  experienced.  I 
was  made  to  feel  that  I  could  not  command  them  at  my  own 
pleasure,  and  that  Satanic  influence  could  not  account  for 
their  occurrence,  without  making  Satan  hostile  to  his  own 
interests ;  for  their  invariable  effect  was  to  humble  to  the  very 
dust,  and  to  exalt  the  Redeemer,  and  to  fill  my  mind  with 
love  to  God  and  man,  in  an  eminent  degree,  and  a  desire  to  do 
all  in  my  power  to  advance  the  interests  of  vital  piety." — 
Life  of  Dr.  Green,  p.  302. 

"Assurance  of  the  love  of  God  never  produces  self-compla- 
cency or  pride;  but  always  humility,  self-abasement,  wonder, 
gratitude,  and  praise.  The  believer  sees  that  the  mysterious 
fountain  of  this  love  is  in  the  divine  mind;  it  is  not  in  himself, 
who  is  ungodly  and  a  sinner." — Uodje  on  Romans,  v.  8 — 10. 


SON  a    OF    SOLOMON.  281 

trite  and  humble  spirit  that  the  high  and  lofty  One 
that  inhabiteth  eternity  dwells.     The  more  intimate- 
ly he  dwells  with  us,  the  deeper  will  be  our  contrition. 
Like   a   blinded   eye,  the   soul   is   insensible   to   the 
splendour  of  the  divine  glory  and  love  shining  around 
us  with  such  brilliancy,  until  the  touch  of  him  who 
healed  Bartimeus  restores  our   spiritual    sensibility; 
then  the  glory  of  the  love  of  God  is  the  light ;  and 
the  sensations  of  the  heart  thus  made  pure,  and  acted 
on  by  these  heavenly  rays,  are  emotions  of  contrition 
and  love.     The  happiest  hours  on  earth,  are  those  in 
•which  our  contrition  is  deepest  and  most  tender.     In 
this  exercise,  there  is  a  commingling  in  the  heart  of 
the  two  pellucid  streams  of  humility  and  love:    the 
nearer  we  come   to  heaven,  the  deeper,  purer,  and 
more  tranquil  is  their  flow.     Our  luxury  is  to  pros- 
trate ourselves  at  the  mercy-seat,  and  there  weep  for 
sin;  weep,  not  the  tears  that  find  vent  when  bemoan- 
ing some  crushing  sin,  but  the  tears  that  well  forth 
in  the  soul,  dissolving  in  contrition  when  the  Holy 
Spirit    is  within    the  heart   as   a  fountain   of   water 
springing  up  into  everlasting  life.     At  such  hours,  we 
wish  to  do  what  was  once  done  by  a  contrite  heart, 
pour  out  before  the  blessed  Saviour  the  precious  per- 
fume of  the  affections  from  the  alabaster  of  a  broken 
spirit;  and  as  we  lie  prostrate  before  him,  weeping, 
kiss  those  feet  which  have  been  wounded  for  us,  and 
bathe   them  with   our   tears.      The    sense    of   God's 
amazing  goodness,  of  his  tenderness  to  such  unworthi- 
ness  as  ours,  this  it  is  that  overcomes  us,  and  makes 
us  weep.     "VVe  are  thus  sweetly  subdued,  because  we 


282  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

are  able  in  a  clearer  manner  to  "behold  what  manner 
of  love  the  Father  has  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we 
should  be  called  the  sons  of  God."  The  predomi- 
nating feeling  is,  "I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least  of  all 
the  mercies,  and  of  all  the  truth,  which  thou  hast 
showed  unto  thy  servant."  We  sink  down  in  over- 
powering humility,  because  overcome  with  melting 
love.  No  wild  or  boisterous  feeling,  no  nervous  en- 
thusiasm, no  burst  of  passion,  then  disturbs  the  soul. 
All,  all  is  perfect  peace.  Such  were  the  exercises  of 
Mrs.  Graham,  when  on  the  borders  of  heaven,  a  few 
hours  before  her  death,  bathed  in  tears,  she  said:  "I 
have  no  more  doubt  of  going  to  my  Saviour,  than  if  I 
were  already  in  his  arms ;  my  guilt  is  all  transferred ; 
he  has  cancelled  all  I  owed.  Yet  I  could  weep  for 
sins  against  so  good  a  God :  it  seems  to  me  as  if  there 
must  be  weeping  even  in  heaven  for  sin."  At  a  time 
of  the  deepest  pious  exercises,  Edwards  says:  "  There 
was  no  part  of  creature  holiness,  that  I  had  so  great 
a  sense  of  its  loveliness,  as  humility,  brokenness  of 
heart,  and  poverty  of  spirit;  and  there  was  nothing 
that  I  so  earnestly  longed  for.  My  heart  panted 
after  this,  to  lie  low  before  God,  as  in  the  dust;  that 
I  might  be  nothing,  and  that  God  might  be  all,  that 
I  might  become  as  a  little  child." 

"  His  left  hand  is  under  my  head."  We  then  feel 
sweetly  sustained  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  by  his  imputed 
righteousness,  and  by  his  inward  grace.  So  far  from 
wishing  to  rest  on  any  merit  of  our  own,  we  cast  from 
us  our  righteousness  as  filthy  rags,  as  a  broken  reed, 
on  which  if  a  man  lean  it  will  go  into  his  heart  and 


SONO     OP    SOLOMON.  283 

pierce  it,  2  Kings  xviii.  21.  His  righteousness,  like 
the  pillars  in  the  porch  of  the  temple,  Jachin  and 
Boaz,  firmness  and  strength;  like  the  pillars  of  mar- 
ble set  upon  sockets  of  fine  gold,  Song  v.  15,  with  his 
human  nature  resting  on  the  fine  gold  of  his  divine 
nature,  is  mighty  to  save  even  to  the  uttermost  all 
who  come  to  him,  however  great  their  unworthiness 
and  guilt.  By  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  shed 
through  the  heart,  the  name  of  Jesus  is  as  ointment 
poured  forth,  more  refreshing  than  the  cluster  of  cam- 
phire  in  the  vineyards  of  Engedi,  than  the  bundle  of 
myrrh  in  the  bosom ;  he  is  full  of  grace  and  truth. 
J±s  he  comes  forth  from  the  ivory  palaces  of  the  hea- 
venly glory,  his  garments  smell  of  myrrh,  aloes,  and 
cassia,  the  excellency  of  his  divine  nature  sheds  a  di- 
vine influence  around  us;  we  rise  gently  above  the 
din,  the  jar,  the  perplexities  of  earth ;  new  vigour  is 
imparted  to  our  faith,  new  animation  to  our  desires; 
the  soul  is  filled  with  confidence,  with  joy,  with  peace; 
duty  becomes  pleasing,  toils  borne  for  Jesus  seem  de- 
lightful, for  the  love  that  we  bear  to  him;  sorrow 
ceases  to  distress,  care  no  longer  perplexes ;  the  angel 
of  the  covenant  makes  us  to  ride  on  the  high  places 
of  the  earth,  and  drink  of  the  pure  blood  of  the  grape 
of  Israel's  inheritance. 

"  His  right  hand  doth  embrace  me."  While  thus 
sustaining  us,  Jesus  draws  us  very  near  to  himself. 
Onward,  nearer  to  Jesus !  is  the  ruling  feeling  of  the 
saint.  We  may  at  times  wish  it  had  been  our  privi- 
lege to  see  Jesus,  as  the  apostles  saw  him,  with  bodily 


284  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

eyes.  But  there  is  no  evidence  that  their  hearts  ex- 
perienced any  more  joy  than  may  be  now  felt  by  the 
believer.  The  manifestations  of  the  glory  of  his  divine 
nature  may  be  made  to  our  hearts  as  vivid  and  as  en- 
chanting as  they  were  to  patriarchs  and  apostles. 
The  glories  of  his  glorified  human  nature  we  are  not  so 
unreasonable  as  now  to  expect  to  behold.  The  time  will 
come  for  the  body  to  have  its  share  in  ministering  to 
our  vision  of  the  glory  of  God.  Our  happiness  now 
consists  not  in  seeing  visions,  and  hearing  sounds; 
not  in  bodily  exhilaration  and  rapturous  ecstacies; 
but  in  feeling  God's  love,  and  in  being  filled  with  his 
Spirit.  There  is  no  reason  for  supposing  that  tha 
emotions  of  the  multitude  under  the  action  of  the 
Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  were  more  delightful 
than  the  emotions  now  felt  under  the  reviving  power 
of  the  same  Spirit.  In  the  most  glorious  visions  had 
by  patriarchs  and  prophets,  there  was  probably  no 
more  delight  enjoyed  than  is  now  the  portion  of  the 
contrite  spirit.  We  may  not  see  what  they  saw  ;  but 
we  may  feel  what  they  felt.  It  is  doubtful  that  Jacob 
at  Bethel,  or  at  Penuel,  or  that  the  disciples  at  the 
transfiguration,  had  more  real  joy  of  heart  than  is  now 
often  experienced  under  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit. 
In  the  words  of  Witsius:  "Hence  it  is,  that  while  his 
saints  are  sometimes  ravished  on  high  by  his  Spirit, 
he  surrounds  them  with  the  beams  of  his  super- 
celestial  light,  gives  them  a  view  of  his  face,  shining 
with  the  brightest  love,  kisses  them  with  the  kisses  of 
his  mouth,  admits  them  to  the  most  endearing,  mutual 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  285 

intercourse  of  mystical  love  with  himself;  and,  while 
he  plentifully  sheds  abroad  his  love  in  their  hearts,  he 
gives  them  to  drink  of  rivers  of  honey  and  butter; 
and  that  often  in  the  greatest  drought  of  the  parched 
soul,  when  expecting  no  such  thing.  There  are  many 
more  mysteries  in  this  secret  intercourse  with  our  hea- 
venly Father,  which  believers  sometimes  see,  taste, 
and  feel,  and  which  no  pen  of  the  learned  can  repre- 
sent as  they  deserve."* 

"Stay  me  with  flagons,  comfort  me  with  apples:" 
that  is,  Give  me  support  and  refreshment  with  cups  of 
wine  from  the  banqueting-house,  and  with  citrons  from 
the  tree  whose  shadow  was  so  delightful.  The  fruits 
with  which  the  soul  sick  of  love  desires  to  be  refreshed, 
are  the  precious  doctrines  of  the  cross  and  the  pro- 
mises of  the  Scriptures.  There  is  then  a  wonderful 
avidity  for  the  word  of  God ;  we  feel  what  it  is  to  live 
not  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth 
out  of  the  mouth  of  God.  The  simple  doctrines  of  the 
cross  are  sweeter  than  our  daily  food.  Here  at  this 
fountain  of  life,  where  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  drops  as 
the  rain,  and  his  speech  distils  as  the  clew,  does  the 
Holy  Spirit  give  strong  drink  unto  him  that  is  ready 
to  perish,  and  wine  unto  those  that  be  of  heavy  heart 
— that  best  wine  for  the  beloved,  which  goeth  down 
sweetly,  causing  the  lips  of  those  that  are  asleep  to 
speak ;  yea,  here  does  the  afflicted  saint  drink,  and 
forget  his  poverty,  and  remember  his  misery  no 
more. 

*  Witsius  on  the  Covenants,  book  iii.  11,  34. 

25 


286  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

Ver.  7. — I  charge  you,  0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  by 
the  roes  and  by  the  hinds  of  the  field,  that  ye  stir  not  up,  nor 
awake  my  love,  (the  object  of  my  affection,)  till  he  please.* 

As  these  animals  were  proverbially  timorous,  the 
greatest  care  must  be  taken  not  to  disturb  them ;  and 

*  Some  interpreters,  among  whom  are  Dopke,  Rosenmiiller, 
and  Professor  Stowe,  in  an  article  on  the  Song  in  the  Biblical 
Repository,  April,  1847,  take  these  as  the  words  of  the  beloved, 
applied  to  the  spouse.  The  reason  for  this  is,  that  the  Hebrew 
word  rendered  "my  love,"  is  a  feminine  noun,  and  the  follow- 
ing verb,  "till  he  please,"  is  also  of  the  feminine  form.  The 
conclusion  they  draw  from  these  facts  is  unnecessary  and  in- 
correct; and  the  meaning  adopted  in  the  English  version 
seems  the  true  one.  1.  Because  it  harmonizes  best  with  the 
scope  of  the  passage.  3.  It  seems  to  be  required  also  by  the 
scope  of  the  context  in  the  other  places,  ch.  iii.  5,  viii.  4,  where 
the  same  language  occurs.  2.  The  beloved  is  compared  to  a 
gazelle,  or  a  young  hart,  ch.  ii.  9,  and  the  immediate  connec- 
tion seems  to  restrict  this  verse  accordingly  to  the  same,  if  it 
can  be  done  without  violence  to  the  Hebrew.  4.  This  can  be 
done.  The  Hebrew  word  "my  love,"  means  "love,"  then  "au 
object  of  affection,"  whether  male  or  female,  precisely  as  the 
corresponding  word  is  used  in  the  English  language.  This 
noun,  with  this  meaning,  being  thus  feminine,  the  following 
verb  would  naturally  take  the  same  gender.  In  this  very  book, 
ch.  v.  9,  where  the  spouse  is  unquestionably  addressing  her 
female  friends,  the  verb  "if  ye  find,"  is  the  second  person  mas- 
culine instead  of  feminine.  Moreover,  the  masculine  form  is 
used  for  the  feminine,  not  only  in  the  Future,  as  in  Song  viii. 
4,  Isa.  lvii.  8,  but  also  in  the  Prater,  in  Ruth  i.  8  ;  and  in  the 
Imperative,  in  Micah  i.  13,  and  Isa.  xxxii.  11.  5.  Besides  the 
English  version,  our  view  is  that  adopted  by  Delitzsch,  Good, 
Fry,  and  Bishop  Percy. 

"Among  the  orientals,  it  is  considered  barbarous  in  the  ex- 
treme to  awake  a  person  out  of  his  sleep.    How  often,  in  going 


SONCS    OP    SOLOMON.  287 

the  believer  enjoying  the  manifestations  of  heavenly 
love,  will  be  as  cautious  in  avoiding  sin,  as  in  watching 
the  gazelle,  which  bounds  away  at  the  rustling  of  a 
leaf.  Nothing  could  express  more  strongly  with  what 
carefulness  the  contrite  heart  seeks  to  retain  those  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit  and  the  society  of  Jesus.  Never 
have  we  such  intense  anxiety  in  guarding  against  sin, 
as  when  thus  filled  with  intense  love.  Then  do  we 
watch  and  pray;  then  do  we  groan,  being  burdened; 
then  do  we  moan  for  entire  conformity  to  Jesus,  that 
with  Jesus  we  may  for  ever  rest. 

Ver.  8,  9. — The  voice  of  my  beloved !  behold,  he  coni- 
eth  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  skipping  upon  the  hills. 
My  beloved  is  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart:  behold,  he 
standeth  behind  our  wall,  he  looketh  forth  at  the  windows, 
showing  himself  through  the  lattice. 

The  Christian  life  is  a  series  of  visits  and  with- 
drawals of  our  Lord,  of  revivals  of  grace  in  the  heart 
and  exposure  to  trials.  After  the  oveqoowering  dis- 
play of  love  in  the  foregoing  verses,  the  beloved  had 
left  the  spouse;  these  words  describe  his  return. 
When  we  have  been  passing  through  a  season  of  cold- 
ness and  decline,  how  often  have  Ave  been  sweetly 
surprised   by   an   influence  coming   over   the   heart, 

to  the  house  of  a  native,  you  are  saluted  with,  "He  sleeps." 
Ask  them  to  arouse  him:  the  reply  is,  "I  cannot."  Indeed,  to 
request  such  a  thing,  shows  at  once  that  you  are  griflBn,  or 
new-comer.  "Only  think  cf  that  ignorant  Englishman:  he 
went  to  the  house  of  our  chief,  and  heing  told  that  he  was 
asleep,  he  said  he  must  see  him,  and  actually  made  such  a 
noise  as  to  awake  him;  and  then  laughed  at  what  he  had 
done." — Roberts. 


288  COMMENTARY    ON     TIIE 

we  could  hardly  tell  whence,  or  how,  warming  the 
heart,  drawing  the  attention  back  to  the  forgotten 
Saviour,  inclining  us  to  prayer,  and  giving  evidence 
of  the  return  of  Jesus.  We  are  taken  by  surprise; 
we  look  up  with  wondering  love,  and  exclaim,  "  The 
voice  of  my  beloved." 

At  such  times,  the  Saviour  encourages  us  from  a 
distance  by  his  voice;  gives  tokens  of  his  approach; 
makes  us  feel  he  is  about  to  repeat  his  visits;  and 
open  to  us  fresh  visions  of  his  love.  To  the  soul 
dead  in  sin,  the  idea  of  now  hearing  the  voice  of 
Jesus  is  visionary.  But  the  good  Shepherd  says,  the 
sheep  know  his  voice.  John  x.  13.  And  if  the  friend 
of  the  bridegroom  which  standeth  and  heareth  him, 
rejoiceth  greatly  because  of  the  bridegroom's  voice; 
much  more  shall  the  bride  rejoice  when  she  heareth 
him.  There  is  herein  no  visionary  enthusiasm ;  no 
wonders  ringing  in  the  ear  of  the  body.  There  is  a 
something  speaking  to  the  soul ;  spirit  whispering  to 
spirit;  tones  from  the  lips  of  Jesus,  adapted  to  the 
hearing  ear  of  the  renewed  soul.  Faith,  "the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen,"  gives  us  the  best  kind  of 
evidence,  that  this  is  indeed  the  voice  of  our  Lord. 
Then,  when  his  speech  distils  as  the  dew,  as  the  small 
rain  upon  the  tender  herb,  and  as  the  showers  upon 
the  grass ;  the  lonely  soul  feels  him  to  be  as  the  dew 
unto  Israel,  and  that  they  that  dwell  under  his  sha- 
dow, shall  return,  they  shall  revive  as  the  corn,  and 
grow  as  the  vine,  Hos.  xiv.  7 ;  then  is  he  to  the  reviv- 
ing heart,  like  a  serene  heat  after  rain,  like  a  cloud 
of  dew  in  the  heat  of  harvest.  Isa.  xviii.  4. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  289 

He  comes  over  all  difficulties  to  visit  and  revive  us ; 
on  or  over  the  mountains  or  hills,  he  comes  leaping, 
surmounting  all  obstacles  with  ease.  "Here,  near 
the  sea  of  Gallilee,  we  saw  the  gazelle  bounding  on 
before  us,  over  shrubs  and  rocks  and  every  obstacle, 
and  felt  the  exquisite  fulness  of  meaning  in  the 
church's  exclamation,  'Behold,  he  cometh  leaping 
upon  the  mountains,  skipping  upon  the  hills.  My 
beloved  is  like  a  roe  or  young  hart.'  It  is  the  very 
nature  of  this  lively  animal  to  bound  over  the  rough- 
est heights  with  the  greatest  ease,  it  seems  even  to 
delight  in  doing  so."*  And  it  is  the  very  nature  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  to  come  to  the  souls  of  his  people, 
over  all  difficulties  with  perfect  ease.  Nothing,  whe- 
ther the  inward  sense  of  unworthiness  and  guilt,  ag- 
gravated by  nnmerous  backslidings,  or  outward  sor- 
rows rising  around  us,  dark  and  towering  as  the  crags 
of  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  nothing  can  sep- 
arate us  from  the  love  of  Christ. 

He  comes  to  us  speedily,  unexpectedly.  The 
roe  was  an  emblem  of  swiftness:  Asahel  was  as  light 
of  foot  as  a  wild  roe,  2  Sam.  ii.  18 ;  and  certain  of 
David's  men  were  as  swift  as  the  roes  upon  the 
mountains.  1  Chron.  xii.  8.  The  heart  is  surpris- 
ed in  an  unexpected  moment,  by  the  appearance  of 
the  beloved.  Though  keeping  afar  off  for  a  time, 
he  comes  speedily ;  his  heart  was  turned ;  his  rcpent- 
ings  were  kindled ;  and  ere  we  were  aware,  his  soul 
made  him  like  the  chariots  Ammi-nadib;   he  came  as 

*  Mission  of  Inquiry,  p.  296. 

25* 


290  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

speedily  as  the  angel  came  to  Peter  in  prison  asleep ; 
as  when  he  came  to  bless  the  Psalmist,  and  he  rode  on 
a  cherub  and  did  fly,  yea,  he  did  fly  upon  the  wings 
of  the  wind ;  as  speedily  as  on  the  first  visit  to  the 
disciples  after  his  ascension,  when  suddenly  there 
came  a  sound  from  heaven,  as  of  a  rushing  mighty 
wind,  and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
When  churches  long  thirsting  for  the  revival  of  his 
work  have  well  nigh  fainted  under  the  thought  that 
their  sins  and  unworthiness  were  so  great  as  to  ex- 
clude them,  perhaps  for  ever,  from  the  blessing ;  he 
has  been  found  among  them,  as  a  dew  from  the  Lord, 
as  the  showers  upon  the  grass,  that  tarrieth  not  for 
man,  nor  waiteth  for  the  sons  of  men.  Micah  v.  7. 

"Behold  he  standeth  behind  our  wall."  In  the 
present  life,  we  are  in  the  condition  of  prisoners  sen- 
tenced to  hard  labour.  This  world  is  our  prison. 
The  inmate  of  a  penitentiary  is  not  more  completely 
cut  off  from  the  community  in  the  midst  of  which  he 
is  confined,  from  association  with  the  public,  from 
knowledge  of  general  affairs,  from  open  landscapes 
and  glorious  skies,  than  are  we,  as  offenders  against 
God,  cut  off  from  associating  with  the  world  of  spirits, 
from  knowledge  of  its  mysteries,  from  views  of  its 
grandeurs  and  glories.  After  all  the  labours  of 
science,  we  have  no  more  acquaintance  with  the  uni- 
verse at  large,  than  the  prisoner  is  able  to  get  of 
the  world,  through  the  bars  of  his  dungeon.  Like 
the  fallen  emperor  of  the  French,  we  have  lost  our 
principality ;  the  crown  has  fallen  from  our  head,  and 
we  arc  confined  on  this  earth,  as  a  solitary,  desolate 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  291 

island  in  the  ocean  of  space;  an  impassable  sea  is 
around  us,  and  we  know  but  little,  very  little  of  the 
worlds  and  peoples  lying  beyond.  Jesus,  who  has 
gone  away  to  receive  a  kingdom  for  himself,  and  after 
preparing  a  place  for  us  in  that  kingdom,  to  return 
and  receive  us  to  himself,  does  now  kindly  visit  us  in 
our  confinement.  But  dark  walls  of  our  dungeon  come 
between — the  walls  of  our  earthly  house  of  this  taber- 
nacle, the  walls  that  rise  between  us  and  the  invisible 
world.  How  far  is  Jesus  removed  from  me  ?  He  is 
standing  behind  this  wall.  This  it  is,  and  this  only, 
which  prevents  us  from  having  full  view  of  him,  from 
coming  very  near  to  him,  from  hearing  distinctly  his 
voice.  When  the  Lord  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel  and  with 
the  trump  of  God;  then  shall  these  walls  go  down 
more  perfectly  than  those  of  Jericho,  and  our  souls, 
like  liberated  Rahab,  be  received  into  the  host  of  the 
Lord,  and  into  the  presence  of  the  Captain  of  our  sal- 
vation. 

"He  looketh  forth  at  the  window,  showing  him- 
self through  the  lattice,"*  or  more  strictly,  glancing 

*  "I  passed  into  a  garden,  round  three  sides  of  which  the 
apartments  ranged.  A  little  lake  of  crystal  water  lay  enclosed 
by  marble  hanks,  and  overshadowed  by  beautiful  weeping-wil- 
lows; little  fountains  leaped  and  sparkled  in  all  directions, 
'and  shook  their  loosened  silver  in  the  sun.'  Arcades  of 
orange,  and  lemon,  and  mimosa-trees,  afforded  a  quivering 
shade  to  the  marble  mosaic  paths,  and  the  parterres  of  flowers. 
At  one  end  of  this  court,  or  garden,  was  a  lofty  alcove,  with  a 
ceiling  richly  carved  in  gold  and  crimson  fret-work ;  the  walls 
are  ornamented  with  arabesques,  and  a  Avide  divan  runs  round 


292  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

through  the  lattice.  The  views  now  got  of  Jesus,  are 
like  the  furtive  glances  which  the  spouse  was  able  now 
and  then  to  catch  of  the  glistening  eyes  of  the  loved 
one  through  the  lattice  window.  Vines,  jessamines, 
roses,  and  honey-suckles,  grew  in  luxuriance  against 
and  over  the  walls  of  the  royal  palace  or  summer- 
house,  with  their  tendrils  and  bloom  often  flowering 
beautifully  through  the  gilded  lattices:  to  this  there 
may  be  here  an  allusion,  as  though  in  this  way;  lie 
who  is  the  true  vine,  John  xv.  1,  does  unfold  to  us, 
through  the  lattice  in  the  walls  separating  us  from 
the  invisible  world,  some  budding  flowers  of  his  glory. 
The  ordinances,  the  sacraments,  the  scriptures,  consti- 
tute the  lattice  through  which  we  now  get  glimpses  of 
the  Beloved;  and  are  enabled  to  see  beauties  unfold- 
ing, and  breathe  exhilarating  fragrance,  which  thrill 
the  soul  with  assurance  of  the  immeasurable  fulness 
awaiting  us  amid  the  splendours  of  heaven. 

Ver.  10. — My  beloved  spake,  and  said  unto  ine,  Rise 
up,  niy  love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away. 

To  the  spouse,  confined  within  doors  by  the  cold 

and  rains  of  winter,  the  beloved  having  thus  come 

from  afar,  addresses  motives  for  alluring  her  away 

from  her  retreat,  and  abroad  among  the  beauties  of 

spring.     Thus  the  Lord  Jesus  encourages  us,  by  pre- 

three  sides  of  the  apartment,  which  opens  on  the  garden  and 
its  fountains.  Next  to  this  alcove  is  a  beautiful  drawing-room, 
with  marble  floor  and  arabesque  roof,  and  carved  niches,  and 
softened  light  falling  on  delicately  painted  walls  ;  in  the  midst 
is  an  alabaster  basin,  into  which  water  falls  from  four  fan- 
tastic little  fountains." — Warburton's  Travels — The  Crescent 
and  the  Cross. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  293 

senting  to  the  mind  the  attractiveness  of  heaven  as  a 
place  adorned  with  more  than  the  beauties  of  Eden. 
And  after  the  withdrawal  of  his  presence,  how  kindly 
does  he  encourage  the  soul  by  making  us  feel  that  he 
loves  us  nonqpthe  less  because  he  withdrew  for  a  time; 
and  how  does  the  heart  revive  on  hearing  him  still 
call  us,  "My  love,  my  fair  one!"  We  had  thought 
that  he  left  us  because  we  had  alienated  his  love  by 
sin,  and  he  was  displeased  by  our  many  corruptions. 
His  first  words  are,  that  he  loves  us  as  ever,  and 
rejoices  in  our  society  as  the  bridegroom  rejoices  in 
the  society  of  his  loved  one.  Such  being  his  love, 
he  wishes  to  have  us  with  him  where  he  is,  that  there 
may  be  nothing  to  break  the  interchange  of  affection 
between  him  and  our  souls.  Bunyan  says,  that  when 
the  summons  came  for  Mr.  Standfast  to  pass  over 
Jordan,  "the  contents  thereof  were,  that  he  must  pre- 
pare for  a  change  of  life,  for  his  master  was  not  wil- 
ling that  he  should  be  so  far  from  him  any  longer." 
Much  is  said  of  the  desire  of  the  saint  to  depart  and 
be  with  Jesus.  We  should  think  more  of  the  desire 
of  Jesus  to  have  the  believer  depart  and  be  with  him 
in  glory.  The  saint  cannot  be  so  desirous  for  being 
in  heaven,  as  Jesus  is  for  having  us  with  him  in 
heaven.  "Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou 
hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may 
behold  my  glory."  John  xvii.  24.  He  wishes  us  to  be 
absent  from  the  body  and  present  with  the  Lord;  to 
go  forth  from  the  walls  of  this  prison-cell  of  the  body, 
and  walk  with  him  by  the  living  fountains  of  waters, 
in  the  vernal  landscape  of  the  heavenly  world.     How 


294  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

beautiful  and  attractive,  as  they  are  here  shadowed 
forth,  are  the  motives  he  addresses  to  the  heart,  as  he 
says,  "Rise,  and  come  away."  Never  was  there  a 
more  lovely  description  of  spring,  fit  emblem  of  the 
time  when  we  shall  see  » 

"  The  various  seasons  woven  into  one, 
And  that  one  season  an  eternal  spring." 

Ver.  11. — For,  lo!  the  winter  is  past,  the  rain  is  over 
and  gone. 

In  the  broad  and  open  domains  of  that  world  which 
lies  beyond  the  walls  of  our  present  condition,  separa- 
ting us  from  the  Beloved,  the  winter  is  past:  there, 
the  reign  of  sin,  the  effect  of  man's  guilt,  as  seen  in 
the  very  ground,  of  which  winter  is  so  sad  an  evi- 
dence, is  no  more  seen;  in  those  realms  of  blessed- 
ness, there  shall  be  no  more  curse.  Rev.  xxii.  3.  St. 
Paul  represents  the  whole  creation  as  standing  in 
earnest  expectation  of  the  time  when  the  curse  shall 
be  removed.  Rom.  viii.  19.  In  those  parts  of  this 
world  most  distinguished  for  the  bodily  and  mental 
superiority  of  man,  winter  seems  the  order  of  nature ; 
the  warm  genial  weather  of  summer  is  confined  to  the 
smaller  portion  of  the  year,  no  more  than  sufficient  for 
bringing  from  the  bosom  of  the  earth  the  productions 
necessary  for  the  support  of  man;  while  cold  storms 
and  wintry  blasts,  chilling  nights  and  gloomy  days, 
fill  up  the  greater  part  of  the  seasons,  and  invade  with 
frequency  even  the  few  weeks  of  summer.  In  the  pre- 
sent condition  of  the  body  and  soul  of  man  under  the 
curse,  this  state  of  things  is  necessary.  In  those 
regions  where  uninterrupted  summer  reigns,  the  en- 


SONQ     OP     SOLOMON.  295 

ergies  of  the  human  mind  and  body  wither,  and  the 
ills  of  the  curse  rage  >vith  greater  power.  In  that 
world  to  which  Jesus  is  drawing  us,  all  these  former 
things  are  passed  away.  There,  the  ground  is  no 
longer  cursed  for  the  sake  of  man ;  nor  must  he  sus- 
tain life  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow;  there,  are  no 
changing  seasons,  no  days  of  labour,  no  tedious  chill- 
ing nights,  no  pelting  storms,  no  benumbing  winds  to 
breast  even  in  works  of  mercy,  no  lightning  and  hail, 
snow  and  vapours,  stormy  blasts  fulfilling  the  word  of 
an  angry  God.  With  imagery  of  this  kind,  has  unin- 
spired poetry,  even  among  pagans,  loved  to  invest  the 
future  abode  of  the  blessed. 

"  The  blissful  plains 
"Where  heavenly  Justice  in  Elysium  reigns ; 
Joys  ever  young,  unmixed  with  pain  or  fear, 
Fill  the  wide  circle  of  th'  eternal  year ; 
Spring  ever  smiles  on  that  auspicious  clime, 
The  fields  are  flowery  with  unfading  prime: 
From  the  bleak  pole  no  winds  inclement  blow, 
Mould  the  round  hail,  or  flake  the  fleecy  snow; 
But  from  the  breezy  deep  the  blest  inhale 
The  fragrant  murmurs  of  the  western  gale."* 

In  the  same  spirit,  Pindar  speaks  of  that  state  as 
realms  where  the  virtuous  enjoy  the  light  of  a  sun  that 
never  sets,  free  from  all  toil,  without  sorrow,  without 
tears;  where  ocean-breezes  refresh  the  isles  of  the 
blessed;  where  cluster-flowers  of  gold,  some  on  the 
ground,  others  on  beautiful  trees,  others  bathed  by 
the   waters   of   pellucid    streams;    while    entwining 

*  Odyssey,  iv.  564. 


296  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

crowns  and  chaplcts  of  these,  the  happy  one  follows  a 
life  of  purity  and  justice;  meads  damasked  with  pur- 
ple roses  form  the  suburbs  of  their  heavenly  city, 
around  which  no  evening  throws  its  shades;  peace- 
ful plenty  everywhere  blooms ;  and  over  those  lovely 
realms  balmy  fragrance  is  shed,  as  those  heavenly 
meadows  are  shaded  with  groves  of  trees  laden  with 
gold  and  incense.* 

The  winter  has  thus  passed  away  from  the  face  of 
nature  in  that  happy  world,  because  the  soul  of  man, 
on  account  of  whose  sin  the  curse  fell  on  the  ground, 
has  been  delivered  from  all  his  iniquity;  his  habita- 
tion is  all  pure  and  glorious,  because  his  spiritual 
leprosy  has  been  cleansed.  No  hurricanes  of  passion 
ean  there  burst  on  the  soul;  no  gusts  of  sin  sweep 
over  the  heart;  no  thunderbolts  of  guilt  shiver  our 
peace;  no  mildew  blight  our  hopes;  no  canker  prey 
on  the  objects  of  our  delight;  no  frosts  chill  the  bud- 
ding affections;  no  withering  blasts  spread  desolation 
over  our  prospects,  or  freeze  the  currents  of  joy. 
Every  thing  proclaims  with  a  voice  of  gladness,  there 
shall  be  no  night  there;  they  have  no  need  of  the  sun, 
neither  of  the  moon,  for  the  glory  of  God  and  tho 
Lamb  is  the  light  thereof;  there  shall  be  no  more 
curse;   "  The  winter  is  past." 

"  The  rain  is  over  and  gone."  About  the  close  of 
winter  in  the  land  of  Judea,  the  latter  rains  were  fre- 
quent for  many  days ;  and  while  so  necessary  for  ripen- 
ing the  harvest,  and  the  forerunner  of  the  serene  sky 

*  Pindar,  2d  Olymp.  Ode. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  297 

of  that  joyous  season  were  always  unpleasant  and 
chilly.  The  eastern  winter  is  past  by  April;  but  all 
the  showers  were  not  over  till  May.  The  time  re- 
ferred to  in  these  verses  seems  to  be  the  period  directly 
after  the  ceasing  of  these  spring-showers,  when  all 
nature  was  beautiful  with  a  new-born  freshness  yet 
untouched  by  the  withering  drought  of  summer.  Be- 
tween the  wintry  rain  of  the  curse  over  us  in  this 
world,  and  the  bursting  forth  of  the  vernal  beauties 
of  that  new  earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness,  the 
believer  must  pass  through  many  pelting  storms  of 
distress  and  affliction,  which,  though  for  the  present 
not  joyous  but  grievous,  arc  necessary  for  ripening 
in  our  souls  the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteousness.  As 
the  latter  rain  was  the  herald  of  spring  and  the 
forerunner  of  harvest,  the  divine  chastisements  are  the 
closing  evils  connected  with  sin  and  the  heralds  of 
coming  peace  in  heaven.  These  must  be  done  away 
when  we  reach  that  world  where  "  God  shall  wipe 
away  all  tears  from  their  eyes,  and  there  shall  be  no 
more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying;"  where  the 
rain  is  over  and  gone ;  where  the  clouds  return  not 
after  the  rain,  Eccl.  xii.  2;  and  as  a  pledge  that  sor- 
row is  over  and  gone  never  to  return,  He  who  set  his 
bow  in  the  cloud,  that  the  waters  shall  no  more  be- 
come a  flood  to  cover  the  world,  has  placed  a  rainbow 
round  about  the  throne,  in  sight  like  unto  an  emerald. 
Rev.  iv.  3. 


2G 


298  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

Ver.  12. — The  flowers  appear  on  the  earth;  the  time  of 
the  singing  of  birds  is  come,  and  the  voice  of  the  turtle  is 
heard  in  our  land. 

At  this  time  the  fields  were  covered  with  beautiful 
flowers,  which  delighted  the  eye  and  filled  the  air  with 
fragrance.  Before  the  fall,  the  earth  was  robed  in 
these  vernal  splendours,  not  merely  during  the  few 
weeks  of  spring,  and  in  a  few  spots  scattered  over  its 
barren  surface,  but  presented  throughout  the  year  a 
wilderness  of  sweets  rejoicing  and  blossoming  as  the 
rose,  of  which  the  glory  of  Lebanon,  the  excellency 
of  Carmel  and  Sharon,  is  merely  a  shrivelled  rem- 
nant. Equally  glorious  shall  be  the  earth  when  the 
curse  is  done  away,  and  all  things  are  created  new. 
The  Paradise  awaiting  the  just  in  heaven,  shall  not  be 
less  glorious  than  that  Eden, 

"Where  from  that  sapphire  fount  the  crisped  brooks, 
Rolling  on  orient  pearl  and  sands  of  gold, 
With  mazy  error  under  pendent  shades 
Ran  nectar,  visiting  each  plant,  and  fed 
Flow'rs  worthy  of  Paradise,  •which  not  nice  art 
In  beds  and  curious  knots,  but  nature  boon 
Poured  forth  profuse  on  hill,  and  dale,  and  plain, 
Flow'rs  of  all  hue  and  without  thorn  the  rose." 

Spring  is  the  living  illustration  to  fallen  man  of  the 
truth,  that  there  shall  be  a  like  resurrection  from  the 
barrenness  which  the  curse  has  spread  over  our  world. 
Elowers  are  the  most  beauteous  form  that  matter,  as 
now  known  to  us,  assumes.  And  when  told  that  in 
the  future  world  the  flowers  appear  in  the  earth  as  the 
attendants  of  an  eternal  spring,  we  feel  nothing  could 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  299 

represent  to  us  more  pleasingly  that  there  the  curse 
on  the  ground  is  repealed,  and  the  face  of  nature  in- 
vested with  the  attractive  beauty  of  Paradise.  There, 
Jesus  as  our  Shepherd  will  make  us  to  lie  down  in 
green  pastures,  and  lead  us  beside  the  still  waters; 
nor  will  the  flowers  there  appearing  in  the  earth  soon 
wither  under  summer's  heat,  and  fall  under  winter's 
frost ;  they  will  bloom  unfading,  undecaying,  through- 
out a  spring  which  shall  fill  the  whole  compass  of  a 
cycle  boundless  as  eternal  life. 

"The  time  of  the  singing  of  birds  is  come."  Thus, 
the  following,  translated  by  Sir  W.  Jones  from  a 
Turkish  Ode  by  Meshi:  "Thou  hearest  the  tale  of 
the  nightingale,  that  the  vernal  season  approaches. 
The  spring  has  spread  a  bower  of  joy  in  every  grove 
where  the  almond-tree  sheds  its  silver  blossoms.  The 
roses  and  tulips  are  like  the  bright  cheeks  of  beautiful 
maids,  in  whose  ears  the  pearls  hang  like  drops  of 
dew.  The  time  is  passed  in  which  the  plants  were 
sick,  and  the  rose-bud  hung  its  thoughtful  head  upon 
its  bosom."  Again,  in  a  Turkish  song  given  by  Lady 
Montague:  "The  nightingale  now  wanders  in  the 
vines;  her  passion  is  to  seek  roses."  Good  remarks: 
"The  bulbul,  or  Persian  nightingale,  is  a  far  more 
beautiful  bird  than  the  European ;  and  the  vernal  sea- 
son here  referred  to,  is  always  a  period  of  general 
hilarity  among  the  inhabitants  of  this  happy  climate. 
Hence  Hafiz  sings — 

"  The  charms  of  spring  once  more  the  fields  salute: 
Ope  to  the  rose,  ye  nightingales !  your  suit : 


300  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

Ye  Zephyrs,  'raid  the  meadow-youths  that  rove, 
Bear  to  the  rose,  the  basil  sweet,  our  love." 

Thus  the  elegant  Jami — 

"  Though  countless  shrubs  of  balmiest  breath 
Their  fascinating  forms  disclose, 
The  constant  nightingale  till  death 
Still  covets  his  beloved  rose." 

When  Thevenot  visited  Jordan  on  the  sixteenth  of 
April,  he  found  the  little  woods  on  the  margin  of  the 
river  filled  with  nightingales  in  full  chorus ;  and  Lady 
Montague,  at  the  same  time  of  the  year,  speaks  of 
turtles  as  cooing  on  the  cypress-trees  of  her  garden 
from  morning  till  night.*  By  reference  to  such  things, 
would  the  Holy  Spirit  illustrate  to  us  that  in  the  world 
to  which  Jesus  would  allure  us  away,  all  is  vocal  with 
enchanting  melody,  and  even  the  irrational  creation 
are  joining  in  the  chorus. 

Next  to  the  pleasures  of  sight  are  those  of  sound ; 
nor  do  we  know  that  they  are  inferior.  Man  is  not 
capable  of  richer  pleasure  than  is  felt  in  hearing  de- 
lightful music.  It  has  its  foundation  in  the  human 
soul.  Both  light  and  music  seem  to  have  the  power 
of  exciting  the  nervous  energy  of  the  human  system, 
as  though  there  were  a  more  refined  body  imbedded 
in  this  physical  frame.  No  one  enjoys  music  with  such 
exquisite  delight  as  the  sanctified  believer.     This  de- 

*  Warburton  says:  "The  air  was  the  balmiest  I  ever 
breathed ;  myriads  of  birds  were  singing  enthusiastically  in 
the  palm  and  olive-branches.  The  nightingales  were  thrilling 
the  dark  groves  with  their  song." 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  301 

« 

light  keeps  pace  with  our  growing  deliverance  from 
the  bondage  of  corruption,  and  our  growing  fitness  for 
heaven. 

"  Heard  melodies  are  sweet,  but  those  unheard 
Are  sweeter." 

"  And  thus  the  associations  of  a  man  familiar  with 
holy  truths,  carry  him  away  from  the  confused  war- 
fare of  this  world;  the  highest  harmony  belongs  to 
another  sphere,  and  in  his  estimation  the  best  music 
of  earth  serves  only  to  introduce  us  to  that  of  hea- 
ven." Among  the  joys  of  heaven  the  Scriptures  give 
this  a  very  prominent  place.  In  the  Jewish  temple, 
would  their  songs  have  been  so  sublime,  and  their 
choruses  so  grand,  had  they  not  foreshadowed  the 
praise  and  chorus  in  which  the  worshippers  shall  join 
in  that  nobler  temple,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  ?  Well 
might  the  Holy  Spirit  therefore  say,  that  in  the  world 
to  which  Jesus  would  allure  us,  "  the  time  of  singing 
is  come;"  the  time  of  mourning  and  weeping  has  been 
done  away ;  "  violence  shall  no  more  be  heard  in  thy 
land,  wasting  nor  destruction  within  thy  borders;  but 
thou  shalt  call  thy  walls  salvation,  and  thy  gates 
praise."  The  mind  can  conceive  of  nothing  more  mag- 
nificent than  the  worship  of  the  heavenly  host  as 
opened  to  us  in  the  visions  at  Patmos.  Rev.  iv.  v.  vii. 
9,  10;  xiv.  3;  xv.  3;  xix.  1 — 6.  The  thoughts  of 
hearing  such  deeds  celebrated  in  such  worship,  of  lis- 
tening to  such  words  set  to  appropriate  harmonies, 
sung  by  such  a  chorus,  under  such  circumstances ; 
nay,  of  being  one  of  the  number  who  could  learn  and 
26* 


302  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

sing  that  song,  may  well-nigh  overpower  us;  and  no 
more  of  grandeur  and  of  glory  can  be  conceived,  than 
the  idea  of  being  in  the  midst  of  that  host,  and  help- 
ing to  swell  that  burst  of  praise  which  is  "  as  the  voice 
of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunder- 
ings,  saying,  Alleluia,  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent 
reigneth!"  Rev.  xix.  6.  "Alleluia;  salvation,  and  glory, 
and  honour,  and  power,  unto  the  Lord  our  God,  and 
unto  the  Lamb!  And  again  they  said  Alleluia." 
Those  who  with  souls  most  attuned  to  the  worship  of 
heaven,  have  heard  the  "  Creation"  and  the  "Messiah," 
have  been  made  to  feel  how  attractive  and  full  of  gran- 
deur is  this  feature  of  heaven. 

"  Such  harmony  is  in  immortal  souls ; 
Lut,  whilst  this  muddy  vesture  of  decay 
Doth  grossly  close  it  in,  we  cannot  hear  it." 

With  the  melodies  of  the  host  who  have  lips  and 
heart  touched  with  the  coal  of  the  seraphim,  will  be 
mingled  the  voice  of  Jesus  welcoming  us  to  the  ser- 
vice of  that  temple;  some  saints  seem  to  have  caught 
swells  of  those  harmonies  ere  these  walls  of  partition 
had  yet  gone  entirely  down  in  death ;  and  they  were 
enraptured  with  the  sound.  Who  can  imagine  the 
overpowering  feelings  of  the  soul,  when,  in  addition  to 
the  glorious  visions  bursting  on  the  view,  as  the  body 
is  thrown  aside,  those  deep-toned  harmonies  rise  on 
the  ear  as  the  murmur  of  the  tranquil  ocean,  as  the 
sound  of  many  waters;  and  as  the  spirit  soars  onward 
in  the  very  midst  of  that  chorus,  wc  hear,  as  enriching 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  303 

and  crowning  all,  tones  from  the  lips  of  the  glorified 
body  of  Jesus. 

"The  music  of  birds,"  as  has  been  •well  observed, 
"  was  the  first  song  of  thanksgiving  which  was  offered 
on  earth  before  man  was  formed.  All  their  sounds 
arc  different,  but  all  harmonious,  and  all  together  com- 
posed a  choir  which  we  cannot  imitate."  In  the  words 
of  Isaac  Walton,  "the  nightingale  breathes  such  sweet 
loud  music  out  of  her  little  instrumental  throat,  that 
it  might  make  mankind  to  think  miracles  are  not 
ceased.  He  that  at  midnight,  when  the  very  labourer 
sleeps  securely,  should  hear,  as  I  have  very  often,  the 
clear  airs,  the  sweet  descants,  the  natural  rising  and 
falling,  the  doubling  and  redoubling  of  her  voice, 
might  well  be  lifted  above  earth,  and  say,  Lord,  what 
music  hast  thou  provided  for  the  saints  in  heaven, 
when  thou  affordest  bad  men  such  music  on  earth  ?" 

"  Nature's  sweet  voices,  always  full  of  love 
And  joyance!  'Tis  the  merry  nightingale 
That  crowds,  and  hurries,  and  precipitates 
With  fast  thick  warble  his  delicious  notes, 
As  he  were  fearful  that  an  April  night 
Would  be  too  short  for  him  to  utter  forth 
His  love-chaunt,  and  disburden  his  full  soul 
Of  all  its  music.""* 

"And  the  voice  of  the  turtle  is  heard  in  our  land." 
Even  yet,  in  those  regions,  the  time  of  the  blossoming 
of  the  vines  and  blooming  of  flowers  is  the  time  of  the 
singing  of  nightingales,  of  which  the  country  may  then 

*  Coleridge's  Nightingale. 


804:  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

be  said  to  be  full,  and  of  the  cooing  of  the  turtle.  The 
turtle  is  migratory.  Jer.  viii.  7.  Aristotle  says :  "  The 
ring-dove  and  pigeon  are  always  to  be  seen,  but  the 
turtle  in  summer  only;  it  does  not  make  its  appear- 
ance in  winter."  "The  turtle  and  the  crane  and  the 
swallow  observe  the  time  of  their  coming,"  which  is 
about  the  end  of  April  or  beginning  of  May.  The 
dove  was  the  emblem  of  affection;  and  its  mention 
hero  in  preference  to  any  other,  is  for  showing  that 
the  key-note  of  the  harmonies  of  that  better  land  is 
love: 

"  No  war,  or  battle's  sound 
Was  heard  the  world  around: 

The  idle  spear  and  shield  were  high  up  hung, 
The  hooked  chariot  stood 
Unstain'd  with  hostile  blood, 

The  trumpet  spake  not  to  the  armed  throng: 
But  peaceful  was  the  night, 
Wherein  the  Prince  of  light 

His  reign  of  peace  upon  the  earth  began." 

Much  more  shall  all  be  peace,  the  result  of  universal 
love,  when  the  reign  then  begun  shall  be  consummated 
by  the  establishment  of  the  Church  triumphant  in  hea- 
ven. The  dove  is  here  mentioned  for  the  same  reason 
that  the  dove  was  afterwards  the  symbol,  to  human 
eyes,  of  the  Holy  Spirit  resting  on  Jesus  by  the  Jor- 
dan. There,  will  be  heard  music,  but  not  military 
sounds,  making  the  soul  frantic  for  horrors  and  blood ; 
not  the  swells  bursting  from  the  heartless  halls  of  re- 
velry and  dancing,  but  the  harmonies  rising  from  an 
innumerable  multitude,  which  no  man  can  number,  of 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  305 

hearts  perfect  in  love:  "Unto  hiin  that  loved  us,  and 

washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath 

made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Father; 

to  him   be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever. 

Amen." 

Ver.  13. — The  fig-tree  putteth  forth  her  green  figs,  and 
the  vines  with  the  tender  grape  give  a  good  smell.  Arise, 
my  love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away. 

The  fig-tree  was  now  embalming  or  spicing  its  ten- 
der fruit,  by  filling  it  with  aromatic  juice.  The  vines 
were  in  bloom,  with  leaves  of  about  two  months  growth, 
consequently  very  shady;  and  the  buds  bursting  into 
full  bloom  with  the  tender  grape  forming  in  the  midst 
of  the  flower,  yielded  a  delightful  fragrance.  This 
was  at  the  time  when  the  rose-trees  were  in  bloom, 
and  the  gardens  filled  with  nightingales. 

The  kiosk,  the  same  meant  by  the  word  "bed,"  in 
ch.  i.  16,  stood  in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  surrounded 
with  large  shady  trees,  and  enclosed  with  gilded  lat- 
tices, round  which  jessamines,  honey-suckles,  and 
vines,  make  a  kind  of  green  wall.*  So  sweet  were  the 
flowers  of  the  vine,  that  the  ancients  had  a  practice  of 
putting  them,  when  dried,  into  new  wine,  for  giving  it 
a  pure  and  delicious  flavour,  allowing  two  pounds  of 
such  flowers  to  every  cadus,  or  jar.  As  in  Eden,  "out 
of  the  ground  made  the  Lord  God  to  grow  every  tree 
that  is  pleasant  to  the  sight  and  good  for  food;"  the 
heavenly  paradise  is  equally  delightful,  and  there  too 
grows  the  tree  of  life.  All  that  can  feast  the  eye  and 
regale  the  senses  is  there  spread  forth.    The  new  wine 

*  See  Notes  on  ch.  i.  10,  and  ch.  ii.  3,  8,  9. 


806  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

which  Jesus  wills  to  drink  with  the  saints  in  his  Fa- 
ther's kingdom,  is  even  now  awaiting  us. 

How  attractive  is  heaven  as  thus  represented. 
There,  the  curse  is  done  away;  no  barren  land  is 
found  in  those  realms  of  eternal  spring;  no  clouded 
skies,  no  sorrows,  no  toil;  the  earth  covered  with  un- 
fading flowers,  the  air  loaded  with  fragrance  and  with 
harmonious  melodies  the  tone  of  which  is  love;  every 
thing  flourishing  that  can  refresh  and  delight  the 
powers  of  both  body  and  soul.  Hence,  from  that 
world  of  holiness  and  joy,  does  Jesus  say  to  us, 
"Arise,  my  love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away." 
Come  away,  from  the  sorrows,  the  afflictions,  the  in- 
firmities, the  trials,  the  bereavements,  the  toils,  the 
chilling  nights,  the  wintry  blasts,  of  this  vale  of  tears : 
Come  away,  to  this  world  of  endless  spring,  to  the 
green  pastures  and  living  fountains  of  waters,  to  the 
innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the  spirits  of  the 
just  made  perfect;  come  away  to  the  skies,  where 
Jesus,  the  beloved,  awaits  thee  on  the  mountain  of 
myrrh  and  hills  of  frankincense,  over  which  the  day 
breaks  and  the  shadows  flee  away. 

Ver.  14. — 0  my  dove,  that  art  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  in 
the  secret  places  of  the  stairs,  let  rne  see  thy  countenance, 
let  rue  hear  thy  voice ;  for  sweet  is  thy  voice,  and  thy  coun- 
tenance is  comely. 

Doves  in  those  countries  take  up  their  abodes  in  the 
hollow  places  of  rocks  and  cliffs.  Hence  the  words  of 
the  prophet,  "  0  ye  that  dwell  in  Moab,  leave  the 
cities,  and  dwell  in  the  rock,  and  be  like  the  dove  that 
maketh  her  nest  in  the  sides  of  the  hole's  mouth." 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  807 

Jer.  xlviii.  28.*  And  in  Virgil  we  have  a  like  compa- 
rison, 

As  the  affrighted  dove,  whose  darling  young 
And  nest  are  in  the  covert  of  some  rock. 

And  in  the  Iliad, 

She  weeping  fled, 
As  to  her  cavern  in  some  hollow  rock 
The  dove,  not  destined  to  his  talons,  flies 
The  hawk's  pursuit. 

Thus,  those  whom  Jesus  would  allure  away  to  himself, 
are  very  frequently  found  in  the  rugged  scenes  of  life, 
in  situations  of  trial,  affliction,  and  desolation,  alone, 
away  from  the  world.  "Lo!  the  people  shall  dwell 
alone  and  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations." 
Num.  xxiii.  9.  And  the  prophet  says,  "Feed  thy 
people  with  thy  rod,  watch  over,  as  a  shepherd  with 
his  staff,  the  flock  of  thine  heritage,  which  dwells  soli- 
tarily in  the  wood,  in  the  midst  of  Carmel."  Mic.  vii. 
14.  As  God  took  fallen  man  out  of  the  garden  of 
Eden,  and  placed  him,  for  a  check  on  his  depravity, 
in  a  world  blighted  by  the  curse ;  so,  those  whom  he 
would  redeem,  whose  corruptions  he  would  uproot,  he 
cuts  off  from  love  of  the  world,  by  putting  them  in  the 
clefts  of  the  rock;  he  brings  us,  like  Israel,  "through 
the  wilderness,  through  a  land  of  deserts  and  of  pits, 
through  a  land  of  drought  and  of  the  shadow  of  death," 

*  "At  such  times  of  noon-day  stillness  and  heat,  the  larger 
animals  seek  shelter  in  the  recesses  of  the  forest,  and  the  birds 
hide  themselves  under  the  thick  foliage  of  the  trees,  or  in  the 
clefts  of  the  rocks." — Humboldt's  Aspects. 


80S  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

that  we  may  desire  a  better  country,  that  is,  an  hea- 
venly ;  that  we  may  hearken  to  the  admonition  of  the 
still  small  voice  from  the  holy  oracle,  the  Spirit's 
dwelling-place  in  the  sanctuary  of  our  soul,  "Arise 
ye,  and  depart,  for  this  is  not  your  rest."  Mic.  ii.  10. 
Affliction  is  the  promised  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
this  world.  They  have  been  left  here  an  afflicted  and 
poor  people,  whose  trust  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

"So  virtue  blooms,  brought  forth  amid  tho  storms 
Of  chill  adversity;  in  some  lone  walk 
Of  life  she  rears  her  head, 
Obscure  and  unobserved." 

The  most  remarkable  displays  of  God's  glory  ever 
made  to  man,  were  made  in  scenes  of  loneliness  and 
desolation.  When  the  patriarch  dreamed,  and  beheld 
a  ladder  set  upon  the  earth  and  the  top  of  it  reached 
to  heaven,  the  emblem  of  the  heavens  opened  and  the 
angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending  upon  the  Son 
of  man,  he  had  taken  the  stones  of  that  place  and  put 
them  for  his  pillows,  and  thus  lain  doAvn  to  sleep :  The 
vision  of  the  burning-bush  was  when  Moses  was  a  fugi- 
tive from  his  countrymen,  and  had  led  the  flock  to  the 
back  of  the  desert,  to  the  mountain  of  God,  even  to 
Iloreb,  so  named  from  its  desolation ;  and  when  after- 
wards God  would  show  this  servant  his  glory,  he  put 
him  in  a  cleft  of  the  rock:  On  this  Horeb,  the  mount 
of  desolation,  stood  Elijah,  when,  unmoved  by  the 
wind,  and  the  earthquake,  and  the  fire,  he  wrapped 
his  face  in  his  mantle,  as  he  heard  the  still  small  voice. 
The  transfiguration  was  on  a  high  mountain  apart; 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  309 

the  appointed  place  for  the  meeting  of  Jesus  with  his 
disciples,  after  the  resurrection,  and  for  appearing 
most  probably  to  a  body  of  above  five  hundred  breth- 
ren at  once,  was  a  mountain  in  Galilee ;  the  visions  of 
John  were  on  the  rocky  isle  of  Patmos;  and  when  the 
angel  would  close  those  scenes  by  a  view  of  that  great 
city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  he  carried  him  away  in  the 
spirit  to  a  great  and  high  mountain.  If  now  he  with- 
draw us  not  from  the  world,  he  accomplishes  the  same 
end  in  spreading  desolation  around  us,  by  bereave- 
ment, by  loss  of  property,  by  affliction,  by  blasted 
hopes  and  bitter  disappointments.  "  Of  the  eight  bea- 
titudes, five  of  them  have  temporal  misery  and  mean- 
ness, or  an  afflicted  condition  for  their  subject.  As 
long  as  the  waters  of  affliction  are  upon  the  earth,  so 
long  we  dwell  in  the  ark ;  but  when  the  land  is  dry 
the  dove  itself  will  be  tempted  to  a  wandering  course 
of  life,  and  never  to  return  to  the  house  of  her  safe- 
ty."* 

The  person  thus  addressed  as  in  the  cleft  of  the 
rock,  was  so  affected  with  a  sense  of  unworthiness,  as 
to  shrink  back  and  stand  in  need  of  the  exhortation  to 
come  forth  to  her  Lord.  To  such  trembling,  timid 
souls,  he  says,  Cut  off  though  you  may  be  from  the 
riches,  the  honours,  and  even  the  comforts  of  this 
world,  and  feeling  yourself  most  unworthy,  there  is 
One  on  whom  you  may  cast  all  your  care,  for  he  careth 
for  you,  who  speaks  to  you  in  language  the  most  affec- 
tionate, My  dove,  my  tender,  timid  one,  the  object  of 

*  Jeremy  Taylor's  Sermons  on  1  Pet.  iv.  17,  18. 

27 


310  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

my  deepest,  most  devoted  love,  "let  me  see  thy  coun- 
tenance," for  however  the  world  may  disregard  and 
despise  that  expression  of  humility,  in  my  eyes  the 
countenance  bespeaking  contrition  is  beautiful.  To 
the  father  of  the  prodigal,  far  more  pleasing  than  the 
gayety  of  the  company  thronging  his  halls,  was  the 
careworn  countenance  of  his  humbled  and  repenting 
son.  Let  me  hear  thy  voice,  for  it  is  sweet.  The 
music  and  dancing  were  not  so  sweet  to  the  father's 
heart,  as  the  humbled  tones  of  his  lost  son  confessing 
his  sin,  acknowledging  his  transgressions,  and  giving 
utterance  to  his  reviving  love.  No  sounds  are  so  de- 
lightful to  Jesus,  as  the  tones  of  the  contrite  spirit 
confessing  sin,  mourning  the  absence  of  his  counte- 
nance, calling  on  him  in  trouble,  and  seeking  advance 
in  holiness. 

Ver.  15. — Take  us  the  foxes,  the  little  foxes,  that  spoil 
the  vines;  for  our  vines  have  tender  grapes. 

Foxes,  jackals,  little  foxes,  are  very  common  in 
Palestine,  and  are  particularly  fond  of  grapes.  They 
often  burrow  in  holes  in  hedges  round  the  gardens; 
and  unless  strictly  watched,  would  destroy  whole  vine- 
yards. Their  flesh  was  sometimes  eaten  in  autumn, 
when  they  were  grown  fat  with  feeding  on  grapes. 
Thus  Theocritus  says, 

I  hate  the  foxes  ■with  their  bushy  tails, 

Which  numerous  spoil  the  grapes  of  Micon's  vines 

When  fall  the  evening  shades. 

And  Aristophanes  compares  soldiers  to  foxes,  because 
they  consume  the  grapes  of  the   countries   through 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  311 

which  they  pass.  They  here  represent  any  thing 
which  injures,  by  stealth  and  cunning,  the  graces  of 
those  who  are  the  objects  of  divine  love.  Hence,  as  an 
enemy  of  God's  people,  Herod  is  called  a  fox  by  Jesus. 
Luke  xiii.  32.  This  verse  teaches  that  those  'who  are 
favoured  richly  with  grace,  and  whom  our  Lord  is 
drawing  towards  heaven,  will  be  careful  to  guard 
against  sin,  and  especially  against  little  sins.  Here- 
tofore we  had  to  lament,  in  the  words  of  ch.  i.  G, 
"Mine  own  vineyard  have  I  not  kept;"  now  we  are 
anxious  to  guard  the  vineyard  of  the  heart  against  the 
inroad  of  any  thing,  however  trifling,  that  may  cor- 
rode and  destroy  our  graces.  Too  often  we  may  have 
been  like  a  boy  represented  by  Theocritus,  as  set  to 
watch  a  vineyard,  but  becoming  so  absorbed  in  weav- 
ing a  chaplet  of  flowers  as  not  to  notice  two  foxes,  one 
of  which  was  stealthily  plundering  his  food,  while  the 
other  was  making  havoc  with  the  grapes.  Never  is 
our  carefulness  in  guarding  against  sin  so  great,  as 
when  most  deeply  filled  with  the  love  of  Jesus ;  against 
the  slightest  sins  we  wish  most  carefully  to  guard. 
The  services  of  the  Jewish  tabernacle  taught  the  ne- 
cessity of  holiness,  even  in  trivial  things.  By  these 
little  sins,  Satan  begins  the  most  deadly  temptations; 
he  attacks  us  in  an  unexpected  quarter,  in  an  unlooked 
for  way;  and  the  time  for  resisting  him,  is  at  the  very 
beginning  of  his  insidious  assaults.  Indulgence  in 
what  may  seem  trifling  departures  from  watchfulness 
and  duty,  blinds  the  mind  to  the  truth  of  Scripture, 
corrodes  and  enfeebles  our  graces,  and  grieves  the 
Holy  Ghost.     While  watching  with  all  diligence,  our 


312  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

unceasing  prayer  will  be,  "  Search  me,  0  God,  and 
know  my  heart;  try  me  and  know  my  thoughts;  and 
see  if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in 
the  way  everlasting."  Ps.  exxxix.  23. 

Ver.  16. — My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his :  he  feedeth 
among  the  lilies. 

The  lily,  on  account  of  its  beauty  as  well  as  fra- 
grance, has  been  universally  admired  in  all  ages:  the 
Greeks  and  Romans  were  no  less  fond  of  it  than  the 
orientals.  The  beloved,  still  compared  to  a  gazelle, 
is  here  said  to  feed  beside  still  waters,  in  green  pas- 
tures abounding  with  lilies.  A  green  meadow,  in  which 
the  gazelle  might  be  seen  feeding  and  reposing  among 
the  lilies,  was  a  scene  truly  beautiful.  Lilies  grew 
wild  in  abundance  in  the  fields.  In  early  spring  the 
plain  of  Sharon  was  seen  covered  with  hyacinths  and 
lilies,  and  the  richest  scarlet  poppies  strewed  amid 
the  verdant  grass.  On  this  grass  the  roes  loved  to 
pasture.  Hence  our  Saviour  says,  "  Consider  the  lilies 
of  the  field."  And  a  Latin  poet  says, 

Lo,  yonder  noble  stag,  calmly  at  rest 

Mid  the  white  lilies  on  the  meadow's  breast. 

As  in  verses  first  and  second  of  this  chapter,  the  lilies 
are  emblems  of  the  pure  in  heart,  the  virgins  sur- 
rounding the  beloved.  Thus  Ilengstenberg  remarks 
on  the  title  of  the  forty-fifth  psalm:  "This  psalm  em- 
ploys itself  on  lilies,  beautiful  virgins,  lovely  brides. 
We  take  the  lilies  as  a  figurative  description  of  the 
lovely  virgins  whose  marriage  with  the  king  the 
Psalmist  celebrates."     The  words  "he  feedeth  among 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON. 


>1  Q 


the  lilies,"  do  therefore  mean,  that  as  the  instinct  of 
the  gazelle  leads  him  back  to  his  feeding-ground,  and 
wherever  he  wanders,  there  is  the  place  of  his  strong- 
est desire,  in  which  he  loves  to  linger,  loves  to  rest ; 
so  the  place  of  our  Lord's  strongest  desire  is  in  the 
midst  of  his  saints ;  and  however  he  may  withdraw, 
thither  he  will  most  certainly  return.  There  is  no 
place  in  which  he  loves  to  be,  better  than  among  his 

people. 

In  view  of  the  assurances  of  love  given  in  the  fore- 
going verses,  the  spouse  says,  "  My  beloved  is  mine 
and  I  am  his."  Those  who  thus  watch  against  sin, 
and  are  blessed  with  communications  of  heavenly  love, 
enjoy  the  full  assurance  of  hope,  and  rejoice  to  know 
that  Christ  is  theirs,  and  they  are  his.  It  is  not  said, 
I  am  his  and  he  is  mine;  but  first,  he  is  mine,  and 
then,  I  am  his ;  inasmuch  as  Christ's  being  ours  is  at 
the  foundation  of  every  blessing.  While  he  is  sepa- 
rated from  us  by  the  walls  between  this  and  the  invi- 
sible world,  unable  to  show  us  the  fulness  of  his  glory ; 
and  in  the  clefts  of  the  rock,  we  are  cut  off  from  so 
many  of  the  enjoyments  of  earth,  we  are  permitted  to 
feel  that  whatever  else  is  wanting,  Christ  is  ours.  The 
whole  of  the  covenant  is  simply  this :  Jesus  says  to  us, 
give  yourself  to  me,  and  I  will  give  myself  to  you.  On 
this  principle  does  he  act ;  and  to  the  degree  we  sur- 
render ourselves  up  to  him,  will  we  ever  find  him  com- 
municating to  us  his  grace  and  causing  us  to  receive 
of  his  fulness.  This  assurance  is  a  blessing  of  un- 
speakable value.  A  deed  is  the  legal  security  that  an 
inheritance  is  ours  and  cannot  be  taken  from  us  by 
27* 


814  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

law.  This  assurance,  written  in  new  characters  on 
the  white  stone  of  the  holy  heart,  by  the  finger  which 
wrote  on  the  tables  of  stone  on  Sinai,  is  the  pledge 
that  heaven,  or  what  is  better  still,  Christ  is  ours. 
This  charter  of  our  eternal  hopes,  this  title  to  heaven, 
is  thus  laid  up  in  the  inner  shrine  of  the  heart,  so 
secure  that  we  cannot  be  plundered  of  it  even  by  the 
spoiler  Death.  We  desire  nothing  more,  as  he  says, 
"All  mine  are  thine  and  thine  are  mine;  and  the 
glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given  them."  John 
xvii.  10.     In  the  words  of  Quarles, 

"He  is  my  altar;  I  his  holy  place; 

I  am  his  guest;  and  he  my  living  food ; 
I'm  his  by  penitence ;  he  mine  by  grace ; 

I'm  his  by  purchase  ;  he  is  mine  by  blood; 
He's  my  supporting  helm;  and  I  his  vine: 
Thus  I  my  best  beloved's  am;  thus  he  is  mine." 

"He  feedeth  among  the  lilies."  There,  is  the  place 
where  he  is  drawn  by  the  strongest  desire.  We  may 
calculate  unerringly  on  his  returning  at  intervals,  to 
manifest  his  presence  in  his  Church;  for  the  roe  or 
young  hart  may  forget  his  pasture  grounds,  but  He 
can  never  forget  the  calm  retreats  of  this  world,  where 
cluster  his  chosen  ones  robed  in  the  purity  of  holiness. 
Yea,  more,  the  mother  may  forget  her  infant  child, 
"yet  will  I  not  forget  thee."  Isa.  xlix.  15.  Where 
would  he  be  more  likely  to  wish  to  dwell  than  among 
his  redeemed  ones?  Hence  his  usual  mode  of  express- 
ing his  relation  to  his  people,  is  that  of  making  his 
abode  with  them,  John  xiv.  23;  of  dwelling  in  their 
hearts  by  faith,  Eph.  iii.  17 ;  and  in  heaven,  God  him- 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  oi5 

self  in  his  tabernacle  shall  dwell  with  them,  and  be 
their  God.  Rev.  xxi.  3.  In  times  of  darkness  and  sor- 
row, let  us  therefore  be  comforted  by  the  inward 
assurance,  "My  beloved  is  mine  and  I  am  his;"  and 
by  feeling  that  more  certainly  than  the  roe  to  his  rich 
pastures  among  the  lilies,  will  Jesus  return  to  visit 
and  abide  with  our  longing  hearts. 

Ver.  17. — Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee 
away,  turn,  my  beloved,  and  be  thou  like  a  roe,  or  a  young 
hurt,  upon  the  mountains  of  Bether. 

While  thus  comforted  during  the  withdrawal  of  our 
Lord,  by  the  assurance  of  hope,  and  by  the  truth  that 
he  may  be  more  certainly  expected  from  time  to  time 
among  the  saints,  than  the  roe  may  be  expected  in  the 
pastures  where  he  feeds,  the  desire  of  our  heart  is  that 
Jesus  would  repeat  those  visits  as  often  as  possible, 
until  the  darkness  now  around  us  flee  away.  In  those 
hot  countries  the  dawn  of  day  is  attended  with  a  fine, 
refreshing  breeze,  much  more  grateful  and  desirable 
than  the  light  itself,  beautifully  expressed  by  the 
words  "the  day  breathe."*    Thus,  Milton — 

"And  temperate  vapors  bland,  which  th'  only  sound 
Of  leaves  and  fuming  rills,  Aurora's  fan, 
Lightly  dispersed." 

As  the  Hebrew  word  Bether  means  a  section  or 
division,  and  as  it  occurs  no  where  else  as  a  proper 

*  Van  Egmont  and  Ileyman  state  that  "the  excessive  heat 
on  the  coast,  and  in  many  places  of  the  Holy  Land,  is  very 
much  lessened  by  a  sea-breeze,  which  constantly  blows  every 
morning,  and  by  its  coolness  renders  the  heats  of  summer  very 
supportable."     Dr.  Robinson,  of  Cambridge,   mentions  that 


316  COMMENTARY    ON    THE    # 

name,  we  take  "mountains  of  Bether"  here  to  mean 
mountains  of  division — spoken  of  a  region  cut  up  or 
divided  by  mountains  and  valleys,  rough,  craggy,  and 
difficult  to  cross.  Over  these  the  spouse  intreats  the 
beloved  to  come  like  a  roe  or  a  young  hart.  See 
ver.  9.    In  the  spirit  of  these  words,  Wordsworth  says, 

"When  like  a  roe, 
I  bounded  o'er  the  mountains,  by  the  sides 
Of  the  deep  rivers  and  the  lonely  streams." 

As  Jesus  sees  fit  sometimes  to  withdraw,  we  pray 
for  the  repetition  of  his  visits  to  the  soul  as  often  as 
possible.  These  visits  are  necessary  for  our  advance- 
ment in  holiness ;  they  are  both  sunlight  and  shower. 
They  give  the  greatest  joys  we  can  now  have;  they 
are  foretastes  of  heaven.     Jesus  is  the  great  attrac- 

"  every  morning  about  sunrise,  a  fresh  gale  of  wind  blew  from 
the  sea  across  the  land,  which  from  its  wholesomeness  in  clear- 
ing the  infected  air,  is  always  called  "t7ie  doctor." 

"At  the  approach  of  morning,  the  stir  of  life  that  seemed, 
like  leaven,  to  ferment  the  surface  of  the  world  round,  was 
very  striking;  first,  the  partridge's  call  joined  chorus  with  the 
nightingale,  and  soon  after  their  dusky  forms  were  seen  darting 
through  the  bushes,  and  then  bird  after  bird  joined  the  chorus; 
the  lizards  began  to  glance  upon  the  rocks,  the  insects  on  the 
ground  and  in  the  air;  the  jerboa  peeping  from  its  burrow, 
fish  glancing  in  the  stream,  hares  bounding  over  the  dewy 
grass,  and — as  more  light  came — the  airy  form  of  the  gazelle 
could  be  seen  on  almost  every  neighbouring  hill.  Then  came 
sunrise,  first  flushing  the  light  clouds  above,  then  flashing  over 
the  Arabian  mountains,  and  pouring  down  into  the  rich  valley 
of  the  Jordan:  the  Dead  Sea  itself  seemed  to  come  to  life  under 
that  blessed  spell,  and  shone  like  molten  gold  among  its  purple 
hills." — Warburt&n — The  Crescent  and  the  Cross. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  817 

tion  of  heaven ;  and  how  comforting  to  know  that 
although  we  cannot  at  present  be  with  him  amid  the 
glories  of  heaven,  he  will  come  frequently,  over  all 
intervening  obstacles,  and  visit  us  amid  the  darkness 
and  ruins  of  earth,  "until  the  day  break  and  the 
shadows  flee  away."  The  ancient  philosophers  call 
this  world  the  dark  cavern  of  the  imprisoned  soul ; 
and  Plato*  says,  "Behold  men,  as- if  dwelling  in  a 
subterranean  cavern."  Our  world  is  now  involved  in 
shadows  dark  as  night ;  and  well  does  the  Apostle 
say,  the  "night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand." 
Rom.  xiii.  12.  The  morning  star  has  long  since 
risen;  in  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  feel 
the  breathing  of  breezes  from  heaven,  harbingers  of 
an  eternal  day;  in  the  increasing  light  of  sanctifica- 
tion,  we  hail  the  brightening  day-break  of  eternity. 
Like  a  person  who  might  have  been  born  in  the 
depths  of  the  Mammoth  Cave,  and  wandering  for 
years  therein,  without  a  sight  of  the  glorious  world 
above  and  around  him — the  impenitent  are  equally 
in  darkness,  living,  wandering  in  caverns  more  deso- 
late and  gloomy  to  the  soul,  and  with  as  little  know- 
ledge of  the  splendours  of  the  invisible  spiritual 
Avorld.  Should  the  poor  oflcast  born  in  the  cave, 
meet  with  some  one  from  the  outer  world,  penetra- 
ting with  a  torch  into  those  chambers  of  death,  with 
what  interest  would  he  listen  to  an  account  of  the 
green  earth,  the  morning  sun,  the  starry  heavens; 
with  what  feelings  must  he  gaze  on  the  brightening 
light,  in  his  approach  to  the  mouth  of  the  cavern. 

*  Repub.,  book  vii.,  chap.  1. 


318  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

How  great  the  transition,  when  having  left  those 
labyrinths  of  darkness,  he  stands  gazing  on  the 
morning  star  overhanging  the  brightening  dawn  of  a 
day  in  spring,  hears  the  singing  of  the  birds,  feels 
the  refreshing  br«ath  of  the  pure  breeze,  and  is  exhi- 
larated with  the  fragrance  filling  the  air  from  the 
dewy  flowers  and  trees  in  bloom.  Far,  far  more 
delightful  are  our,  sensations,  Avhen  our  spiritual  per- 
ception fixes  on  Christ  the  bright  morning  star,  and 
on  the  dawning  light  of  heavenly  blessedness;  and 
we  hear  swells  of  music  from  that  better  world,  and 
feel  the  refreshing  breezes  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  laden 
with  balm  from  the  fields  the  Lord  has  blessed. 

Then,  our  view  of  the  boundless  universe  of  God 
shall  be  enlarged,  as  is  our  view  of  the  landscape 
under  the  rising  sun;  we  shall  mingle  with  an  innu- 
merable company  of  angels,  with  the  spirits  of  just 
men  made  perfect;  the  truths  now  so  precious,  will 
be  seen  more  clearly,  and  in  wider  relations;  myste- 
ries of  Providence  will  be  cleared  up ;  God  will  be 
more  fully  known;  Christ  will  be  revealed  in  all  his 
glory. 

CHAPTER  III. 

Ver.  1. — By  night  on  my  bed  I  sought  him  whom  my 
soul  loveth :  I  sought  him,  but  I  found  him  not. 

The  portion  of  this  book  from  chap.  ii.  8  to  chap, 
vii.  9,  contains  three  leading  motives  addressed  to  the 
soul  by  Jesus  for  alluring  us  away  from  the  world. 
Between  these  there  arc  introduced,  chap.  iii.  1 — 5, 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  819 

and  chap.  v.  2 — 8,  two  seasons  of  spiritual  desertion, 
differing  from  each  other  in  this  respect,  that  in  the 
latter  the  beloved  is  repulsed  by  the  neglect  of  cold 
indifference,  while  in  the  former,  here  under  conside- 
ration, nothing  of  that  kind  seems  mentioned.  This 
verse  is  connected  with  the  close  of  chapter  second, 
and  illustrates  the  earnestness  of  the  soul  in  seeking 
Jesus  during  a  time  of  his  absence.  God's  way  of 
carrying  on  our  sanctification  is  by  repeated  visits 
and  withdrawals,  at  seasons  "put  in  his  own  power." 
When  thus  absent,  he  returns  in  different  ways. 
Sometimes,  as  in  chap.  ii.  8,  he  surprises  us  with  his 
grace,  almost  before  he  was  expected,  Isa.  lxv.  1 ; 
then,  as  in  this  passage,  he  waits  for  us  to  seek  him 
with  earnestness.  This  verse  expresses,  that  in  the 
absence  of  Jesus,  we  seek  him  with  desires  so  strong 
as  to  surmount  the  most  necessary  cravings  of  the 
body,  even  sleep. 

No  desire  is  so  intense  as  the  craving  of  a  health- 
ful soul  after  Christ.  This  is  different  from  the  thirst 
of  the  mind  for  intellectual  pleasures.  In  the  state 
of  mind  here  set  forth,  there  are  as  the  basis  of  this 
craving — 1.  Foregoing  manifestations  of  the  love  and 
loveliness  of  Jesus  through  the  Holy  Spirit;  2.  A 
disclosure  of  the  beauty  and  glory  of  heaven ;  3.  The 
assurance  of  hope ;  and,  4.  Strong  desires  for  behold- 
ing the  glory  of  Christ.  What  was  wanting,  was  a 
sense  of  the  presence  of  Jesus.  Now  it  is  possible  to 
have  all  these  without  the  last.  This  is  exceedingly 
desirable,  and  should  be  sought ;  but  the  want  of  it  is 
no  evidence  God  has  cast  us  off,  and  is  displeased. 


/ 


320  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

Many  good  people  mistake  at  such  time,  by  despair- 
ing and  reproaching  themselves,  instead  of  seeking 
him.  Through  the  disposition  to  walk  by  sense  or 
sight,  rather  than  by  faith,  they  despond  when  the 
manifestations  of  the  presence  of  Jesus  are  withheld. 
But  they  should  feel  the  absence  of  these  is  no  proof 
of  want  of  acceptance;  these  withdrawals  are  for  a 
wise  end,  and  are  essential  in  our  preparation  for 
heaven.*  They  test  the  strength  of  our  faith  and 
steadfastness  of  our  love ;  they  lead  to  deeper  search- 
ings  for  secret  sins;  they  advance  humility  by  mak- 
ing us  feel  our  weakness  and  our  dependence  on  God. 
If  this  inward  spring  of  divine  influence  flowed  with- 
out intermission,  in  a  current  always  full,  we  would 

*  "Although  it  is  not  possible  that  any  who  is  admitted 
into  peace  and  friendship  with  God  should  altogether  fall  from 
it,  yet  the  sense  and  relish  thereof  are  often  interrupted.    For, 

1.  God  doth  not  always  show  his  pleasant  countenance  to  his 
friends ;  sometimes  he  hides  himself,  Isa.  viii.  17 ;  standcth 
afar  oiF,  Ps.  x.  1;  admits  them  not  into  familiarity  with  him, 
nor  fills  them  with  the  abundance  of  his  consolations;  he  hears 
not  when  they  call,  Ps.  xxii.  2,  3 ;  as  if  he  regarded  them  not. 

2.  Nay,  he  thrusts  them  from  him  with  a  kind  of  contempt; 
and  '  is  angry  against  their  prayer.'  Ps.  lxxx.  4.  3.  He  terri- 
fies them  with  many  sorrows ;  not  only  by  hiding  his  face, 
without  which  there  is  no  joy,  but  by  his  fierce  anger  going 
over  them.  4.  He  seems  to  deal  with  them  as  an  adversary, 
and  holdeth  them  for  his  enemies,  and  writes  bitter  things 
against  them.  5.  Gives  them  up  sometimes  to  be  vexed  and 
buifeted  by  the  devil.  Job  ii.  6.  After  that  the  light  of  the 
divine  countenance  is  set,  immediately  the  beasts  of  the  forest 
come  forth  against  the  soul,  the  young  lions  roaring  after  their 
prey." — Witsius  on  Spiritual  Peace.  Gov.,  book  iii.  9,  21. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  321 

be  in  clanger  of  spiritual  pride.  Says  Rutherford, 
"As  nights  and  shadows  are  good  for  flowers,  and 
moonlight  and  dews  are  better  than  a  continual  sun ; 
so  is  Christ's  absence  of  special  use,  and  it  hath  some 
nourishing  virtue  in  it,  and  giveth  sap  to  humility, 
and  putteth  an  edge  on  hunger,  and  furnisheth  a  fair 
field  to  faith  to  put  forth  itself." 

How  unreasonable  to  doubt  the  love  of  a  friend 
when  necessarily  withdrawn :  to  love  him  only  when 
under  our  eye  betokens  infant-like  weakness.  With 
love  to  Jesus,  of  a  manly,  vigorous  cast,  in  seasons  of 
spiritual  desertion,  far  from  despondency,  with  its 
attending  inactivity,  we  will  cherish  a  faithful,  devoted 
affection,  incapable  of  diversion  from  its  cherished 
object  by  all  the  seductions  of  the  tempter.  How 
longs  and  seeks  the  soul  for  Christ,  in  times  of 
temptation,  of  trial,  of  affliction,  of  spiritual  desertion! 
How  strong  the  feelings  with  which  we  think,  at 
night  on  our  bed,  of  those  who  are  loved,  but  separ- 
ated from  us  by  distance  or  by  death !  When  mourn- 
ing the  absence  of  him  whom  our  soul  loveth,  how 
often  have  we  made  our  bed  to  swim,  and  watered 
our  couch  with  tears.  After  displays  of  his  love, 
Christ  gives  us  up  to  the  power  of  the  devil,  within 
certain  limits.  In  various  ways,  Satan  will  try  to 
lead  us  into  sin,  if  not  against  the  moralities  of  the 
world,  against  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God; 
failing  in  this,  he  will  lead  us  as  near  as  possible  to 
sin,  if  perchance  we  may  in  an  unguarded  moment 
fall;  repulsed  in  these  attacks,  he  will  then  resort  to 
slander,  to  worldly  perplexity,  to  bodily  affliction. 
28 


322  COMMENTARY     ON     TEE 

Thus  in  his  chapter  on  "the  glory  of  Christ  in  the 
mysterious  constitution  of  his  person,"  Owen  quotes 
this  passage,  and  adds:  "The  Lord  Christ  is  pleased 
sometimes  to  withdraw  himself  from  the  spiritual 
experience  of  believers,  as  unto  any  refreshing  sense 
of  his  love,  or  the  fresh  communications  of  consolatory 
graces.  Those  who  never  had  experience  of  any  such 
thing,  who  never  had  any  refreshing  communion  with 
him,  cannot  be  sensible  of  his  absence;  they  never 
were  so  of  his  presence.  But  those  whom  he  hath 
visited,  to  whom  he  hath  given  of  his  loves,  with 
whom  he  hath  made  his  abode,  whom  he  hath  re- 
freshed, relieved,  and  comforted,  in  whom  he  hath 
lived  in  the  power  of  his  grace,  they  know  what  it  is 
to  be  forsaken  by  him,  though  but  for  a  moment. 
And  their  trouble  is  increased,  when  they  seek  him 
with  diligence  in  the  wonted  ways  of  obtaining  his 
presence,  and  cannot  find  him.  Our  duty  in  this  case 
is,  to  persevere  in  our  inquiries  after  him,  in  prayer, 
meditation,  mourning,  reading,  and  hearing  of  the 
word,  in  all  ordinances  of  divine  worship,  private  and 
public,  in  diligent  obedience,  until  we  find  him,  or  he 
return  unto  us,  as  in  former  days." 

Ver.  2. — I  will  rise  now,  and  go  about  the  city  in  the 
streets,  and  in  the  broad  ways  I  will  seek  hiin  whom  my 
soul  loveth :  I  sought  him,  but  I  found  him  not. 

"The  broadways"  seem  to  mean  the  broad  open 
places  at  the  gates  of  oriental  cities,  where  the  inhabi- 
tants were  accustomed  to  assemble  for  public  business. 
Not  only  in  the  streets,  but  in  these  public  places,  did 
the  spouse  seek  her  beloved.     All  the  difficulties  of 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  323 

this  passage  vanish  when  the  Song  is  taken  as  an 
allegory  for  illustrating  the  love  of  the  saint  towards 
Christ.      The  heart  warmed  with  thoughts  of  him, 
like  a  spring,  boiling  or  bubbling  up  with  deep  emo- 
tions, Ps.  xlv.  1,  impels  us  to  seek  him  in  the  way  of 
self-denial.     Time  was  when  Jesus  was  sacrificed  to 
the  pursuit  of  worldly  enjoyments,  and  pleasures  of 
sense ;  now  every  thing  else  is  left,  even  sleep  itself 
sacrificed,  for  finding  the  presence  of  Jesus.     This 
verse  is   another  way  of  setting  forth  the  state  of 
heart  expressed  in  Ps.  lxiii.  1,  2,  and  in  Job  xxiii. 
8 — 10 ;  more  fully  in  the  forty-second  Psalm.     This 
state  is  different  from  that  noticed  in  chap.  v.  3. 
The   latter  is  a  condition   of  spiritual  sluggishness 
arising  from  absence  of  the  Holy  Spirit;    here  the 
affections  are  alive,  the  heart  warm  by  the  action  of 
grace ;  but  a  sense  of  the  presence  of  Christ  is  want- 
ing.    In  such  times  of  desertion  and  trial  the  soul 
seeks  him  with  great  earnestness ;  periods  of  conflict, 
peril,  and  sorrow,  when  we  feel  our  best  resolutions 
are  nothing  before  the  power  of  the  devil,  when  the 
passions  of  the  soul  will   struggle   as   though   they 
would  burst  the  cords  of  the  heart  asunder;  and  the 
fury  with  which  they  roll  round  through  the  chambers 
of  the  soul,  reminds  us  of  Virgil's  description  of  the 
fury  of  the  winds  in  the  cavern  of  iEolus : 

"Where  struggling  winds  and  roaring  storms  he  rules 
"With  sway  imperial ;  curbs  with  prison,  chains. 
Impetuous  rage  they  round  their  mountain-cave : 
Did  he  not  check  their  wrath,  forth  would  they  burst; 
Land,  sea  and  heav'n  in  a  wild  tempest  sweep, 
Uptorn  from  their  foundations,  through  the  air." 


324  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

Even  more  terrible  than  these,  were  the  elements 
■which  burst  so.  suddenly  on  the  patriarch  Job,  and 
buried  him  under  the  ruin  of  his  property,  his  family, 
his  bodily  comfort,  his  friendships,  and  his  spiritual 
peace.  In  his  passage  onward  to  heaven,  every 
believer  has  to  pass  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death ;  some  find  it  darker  and  more  terrible  than 
others,  and  have  to  encounter  at  its  entrance  Satan  in 
fiercer  mood.  There  are  times  of  outward  desolation 
and  inward  trial,  when  we  say  with  Jacob,  "All  these 
things  are  against  me;"  and  cry  with  the  Psalmist, 
"Deep  calleth  unto  deep  at  the  noise  of  thy  water- 
spouts, all  thy  waves  and  thy  billows  are  gone  over 
me."  The  most  painful  part  of  these  struggles  arises 
from  the  fiery  darts  of  the  devil.  They  seem  at  times 
to  fall  almost  like  hail;  and  attack  is  succeeded  by 
attack,  as  though  he  was  determined  to  weary  us 
out  by  the  very  continuance  of  his  assaults.  Even 
struggling  hard,  with  desperate  determination,  we 
may  find  ourselves  giving  ground;  like  Christian,  we 
may  be  almost  spent,  almost  pressed  to  death,  so  as 
to  despair  of  life,  and  notwithstanding  all  we  can  do, 
be  wounded  in  the  head,  hand,  and  foot;  may  get  a 
dreadful  fall;  yet  is  his  grace  made  sufficient  for  us. 
No  battle  can  be  so  terrible  as  that  which  the  believer 
does  thus  sustain  against  the  powers  of  darkness. 
With  thankfulness  do  we  find  hour  after  hour,  and 
day  after  day,  passing  by,  and  our  position  yet  held 
against  this  surging  host  of  deadly  foes.  Now  and 
then  will  there  be  a  lull  in  the  conflict,  and  grace  will 
refresh  us  with  cordials  from  heaven;  but  the  battle 


SONG     OF    SOLOMON.  825 

will  cease  only  with  the  setting  of  the  sun,  when 
around  us  gathers  the  nightfall  of  the  grave.  But 
though  it  he  a  hard  fought  day,  the  sun,  like  that  of 
Waterloo,  will  go  down  on  victory.  Bunyan  under- 
stood the  spiritual  conflict,  and  has  in  a  few  words 
sketched  it  with  marvellous  vigour  and  truth.  When 
the  world  see  the  saint  thus  enduring  "a  great  fight 
of  afflictions ;"  see  him  under  fire  in  the  heat  of  the 
battle;  they,  and  too  often  nominal  Christians  with 
them,  are  ready  to  judge  hastily;  to  censure  him  for 
his  conduct;  to  impute  to  his  own  love  of  sin  wounds 
he  has  got  in  his  desperate  and  uncompromising  re- 
sistance against  sin ;  and  congratulate  themselves  on 
being  perhaps  better  than  he,  because  they  have 
escaped  wounds  incurred  by  him,  when,  had  they 
been  exposed,  in  conflicts  through  which  he  has 
passed,  their  courage  might  have  failed,  and  their 
souls  perished.  Every  believer  who  knows  his  own 
heart,  will  adopt  the  words  of  Mr.  Great-heart  con- 
cerning Christian's  conflict  with  Apollyon:  "No 
disparagement  to  Christian,  more  than  to  any  others 
whose  hap  and  lot  it  was.  But  we  will  leave  the  good 
man,  he  is  at  rest,  he  also  had  a  brave  victory  over 
his  enemy:  let  Him  grant  that  dwelleth  above,  that 
we  fare  not  worse,  when  we  come  to  be  tried,  than 
he." 

"Through  all  stations  human  life  abounds 
With  mysteries ; — for,  if  Faith  were  left  untried, 
How  could  the  might,  that  lurks  within  her,  then 
Be  shown  ?  her  glorious  excellence — that  ranks 
Among  the  first  of  powers  and  virtues — proved  ?" 

28* 


326  C  O  M  31  E  N  T  A  II  Y     0  N     THE 

So  necessary  are  conflicts  for  ripening  the  excellences 
of  character,  and  attaining  noble  rewards  and  en- 
during fame,  that  poetry  has  made  the  illustration  of 
this  the  theme  of  some  of  its  noblest  efforts.  Such  is 
the  tenor  of  Spenser's  Faery  Queen.  And  in  the 
poem  of  King  Arthur,  "The  hero  thus  purified  and 
enlightened  by  sorrow,  is  ready  to  seek  the  sword, 
the  possession  of  which  confers  immortal  renown,  and 
could  not  be  won  unless  by  a  champion,  who,  through 
resistance  of  strong  temptations,  had  been  proved  to 
possess  noble  moral  endowments.  The  shield  is  next 
to  be  won  by  heroic  valour  shown  in  desperate  combat 
against  appalling  enemies ;  not  by  the  valour  of  the 
knight,  but  by  the  moral  greatness  of  the  man ;  not 
by  warlike  deeds,  but  by  resistance  to  strong  tempta- 
tions, and  by  clear  perception  of  the  relative  im- 
portance of  conflicting  duties."*  Thus  the  Scriptures, 
"Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation,  for 
when  he  is  tried  he  shall  receive  the  crown  of  life, 
which  the  Lord  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him." 
Jas.  i.  12. 

Ver.  3. — The  watchmen  that  go  about  the  city  found 
me,  to  whom  I  said,  Saw  ye  him  whom  my  soul  loveth  ? 

The  loneliness  and  gloom  of  the  spouse  wandering 
at  night  through  the  streets,  deserted  by  all  save  the 
watchmen,  sets  forth  the  darkness  and  desolation  of 
the  soul  searching  for  Christ  in  these  times  of  deser- 
tion and  trial.    The  final  state  of  the  Church  in  glory 

*  King  Arthur,  by  Sir  E.  Bulwer  Lytton.  Ed.  Rev. 
No.  181. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  327 

is  represented  by  the  beauty  of  a  city,  as  in  Ileb.  xii. 
22,  and  Rev.  xxi.  Now  the  Church  is  the  city  of  the 
living  God,  but  like  Israel  in  the  camp  in  the  Avilder- 
ness,  rather  than  when  established  in  the  palaces  on 
Mount  Zion.  The  watchmen  above  are  angels,  Rev. 
xxi.  12;  here  they  are  men.  Isa.  Ixii.  6.  This  class 
of  men  have  the  important  trust  of  guarding  the  inte- 
rests of  the  Church,  warning  of  danger,  instructing 
and  comforting  troubled  souls.  "They  watch  for 
souls  as  they  that  must  give  account."  Ileb.  xiii.  17. 
They  are  stars  in  the  right  hand  of  Christ.  Their 
aid  must  we  seek  in  times  of  darkness  and  sorrow.* 
They  are  expected  to  know  more  than  others  about 
experimental  religion;  their  duty  is  to  study  this  as 
the  end  of  all  their  investigations.  If  it  was  neces- 
sary that  Jesus  should  be  made  in  all  things  like 
unto  his  brethren,  ministers  of  the  word  should  be  led 

*  "  It  is  most  advisable  for  tempted  persons  to  consult  some 
able,  judicious  minister,  or  compassionate  and  established 
Christian,  -whose  counsel  and  prayers  may  be  singularly  use- 
ful in  this  case;  observing  the  assistance  'which  Great-heart 
gave  to  the  Pilgrims,  in  passing  through  the  valley.  Some- 
times temptations  may  be  so  multiplied  and  varied,  that  it 
may  seem  impossible  to  proceed  any  further;  and  the  mind  of 
the  harassed  believer  is  enveloped  in  confusion  and  dismay,  as 
if  an  horrible  pit  were  about  to  swallow  him  up,  or  the  prince 
of  darkness  to  seize  upon  him.  But  the  counsel  of  some  ex- 
perienced friend  or  minister,  exciting  confidence  in  the  power, 
mercy,  and  faithfulness  of  God,  and  encouraging  him  to  'pray 
■without  ceasing,' will  at  length  make  way  for  his  deliverance.'' 
— Scott's  Notes  on  the  Pilgrim's  Progress. 


o28  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

by  the  Holy  Spirit  through  these  exercises  of  the 
heart  wherein  they  are  to  lead  and  comfort  others. 

Ver.  4. — It  was  but  a  little  that  I  passed  from  them,  but 
I  found  him  whom  my  soul  loveth :  I  held  him,  and  would 
not  let  him  go,  until  I  had  brought  him  into  my  mother's 
house,  and  into  the  chamber  of  her  that  conceived  me. 

Very  shortly  after  leaving  them  she  finds  the  be- 
loved. Jesus  is  always  to  be  found  near-  the  watch- 
men, the  ministry,  the  means  of  grace.  How  often 
when  we  have  been  seeking  Jesus  without  any  com- 
forting sense  of  his  presence,  have  some  bright  views 
of  his  glory  burst  upon  the  soul.  Some  truth  shines 
forth  adapted  to  our  need,  some  promise  precisely 
suited  to  our  want,  some  warning  that  may  arouse  us 
from  danger.  He  appears  to  us  as  unexpectedly  as  to 
the  disciples  on  the  way  to  Emmaus;  and  like  the 
wise  men  from  the  East,  on  seeing  the  infant  Jesus, 
we  rejoice  with  exceeding  great  joy. 

"I  held  him,  and  would  not  let  him  go."  With 
eagerness  does  the  soul  then  lay  hold  on  our  Lord. 
By  night  had  those  holy  women  been  seeking  Jesus, 
at  early  dawn  while  it  was  yet  dark  on  the  morning 
of  his  resurrection,  sorrowful  and  in  tears,  when  he 
"  met  them  saying,  All  hail,  and  they  came  and  held 
him  by  the  feet  and  worshipped  him:"  this  is  the 
manifestation,  in  a  different  way,  of  the  feeling  now 
had  by  us  on  finding  again  our  Lord.  They  did  in 
form  precisely  what  we  now  do  by  faith.  Among  the 
emblematical  representations  of  truth  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, this  has  its  illustration  in  the  wrestling  of 
Jacob  with  the  angel.     It  was  night,  he  was  alone,  in 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  329 

a  lonely  place,  and  about  to  encounter  a  dangerous 
enemy  in  Esau.  Convinced  that  this  being  in  human 
form  had  power  to  deliver,  he  laid  hold  on  him  and 
refused  to  let  him  go  without  a  blessing.  His  impor- 
tunity prevailed,  and  in  that  person  he  found  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

"I  brought  him  into,  &c."  Speaking  of  oriental 
houses,  Dr.  Shaw  says,  "  Their  chambers  are  large  and 
spacious,  one  of  them  frequently  serving  a  whole 
family.  At  one  end  of  each  chamber  there  is  a  little 
gallery  raised  four  or  five  feet,  with  a  balustrade  and 
doubtless  a  veil  to  draw  in  the  front  of  it.  Here  they 
place  their  beds."  Hence  we  have  no  difficulty  in  un- 
derstanding why  the  bride  speaks  of  her  own  apart- 
ment as  connected  with  her  mother's  chambers.  In 
this  and  in  the  other  passage  where  reference  is  made 
to  the  mother  and  the  mother's  apartments,  see  chap, 
viii.  2,  this  is  evidently  for  guarding  against  the  idea 
of  any  thing  improper  in  this  love.  In  the  house  and 
under  the  eye  of  a  mother,  a  virgin  must  be  supposed 
under  the  very  best  safeguard  against  any  thing  like 
impropriety.  The  love  here  contemplated  is  that  chaste, 
ideal  affection,  not  entirely  like  any  thing  known  on 
earth,  which  combines  the  ardent  affection  of  the  mar- 
riage relation  with  the  devotion  of  a  brother's  and 
sister's  heart,  without  any  unhallowed  feeling  associ- 
ated therewith.  Hence  the  expression  so  frequently 
used,  "my  sister-spouse." 

Thus  finding  Jesus,  we  are  anxious  to  commune  with 
him  in  secret.  In  chap.  i.  4,  he  is  represented  as  bring- 
ing us  into  his  chambers,  drawing  us  into  secret  com- 


830  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

munion  with  him ;  here  we  are  set  forth  as  spontane- 
ously drawing  him  into  private  communion,  seeking 
intercourse  with  him  by  prayer.  Though  ever  depen- 
dent on  the  Holy  Spirit  as  our  strength,  and  as  the 
originating  spring  of  every  holy  emotion  and  holy 
action,  there  are  times  when  grace  seems  to  visit, 
enliven,  and  draw  us  again  to  Christ,  and  there  are 
periods  when  we  feel  that  reviving  grace  cannot  be 
expected  without  offering  up  supplications  with  strong 
cries  and  tears.  Delightful  as  are  ordinances  and 
public  duties,  we  wish,  after  deliverance  from  spiritual 
desertion,  to  have  Jesus  much  to  ourselves  in  study  of 
the  Scriptures,  in  meditation,  in  contrition,  and  in 
secret  prayer.  Seeking  thus  to  enjoy  confidential  fel- 
lowship with  Jesus  where  there  may  be  no  intrusion, 
the  soul  again  expresses  anxiety  to  guard  against  any 
thing  likely  to  make  him  withdraw :  "  I  charge  you, 
0  ye  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  &c."  ver.  5.  See  chap, 
ii.  7. 

Ver.  6. — Who  is  this  that  cometh  out  of  the  wilderness 
like  pillars  of  smoke,  perfumed  with  myrrh  and  frankin- 
cense, with  all  powders  of  the  merchant. 

The  first  grand  motive  in  the  series  here  brought  to 
bear  on  the  heart,  is  the  desirableness  of  heaven  as  a 
place.  Chap.  ii.  10.  After  a  season  of  heavenly  delight, 
and  glimpses  of  heavenly  glory,  we  are  exposed  to 
spiritual  desertion  and  assaults  of  the  devil,  that  the 
power  of  these  motives  may  be  put  to  test.  When  we 
are  restored  to  the  joy  of  his  salvation,  he  allures  by 
assurance  of  the  security  and  grandeur  of  our  convey- 
ance thither.     Dejected  because  he  left  us,  as  in  ver. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  331 

1,  we  are  told  that  however  we  may  seem  forsaken, 
we  may  be  sure  our  souls  are  during  the  darkest  hours 
in  a  chariot  paved  with  love.  As  though  he  says  to 
us,  1.  Be  not  discouraged  by  these  withdrawals  of 
Jesus,  for  there  is  a  state  of  glory  awaiting  you  in 
heaven ;  2.  Do  not  despond  under  the  heaviest  trials, 
for  you  are  on  your  road  to  glory  in  a  conveyance 
guarded  by  angels,  encompassed  with  the  intercession 
of  Christ,  and  made  of  materials  precious  as  love; 
3.  Though  Jesus  may  at  times  hide  his  face  and  ex- 
pose us  to  trials,  he  loves  us  even  more  strongly  than 
is  shown  in  chap.  iv. 

The  Scriptures  speak  of  God's  dwelling  in  heaven, 
yet  coming  down  to  us  on  earth;  of  his  being  continu- 
ally around  us,  yet  drawing  near  to  us  by  his  Spirit. 
Persons  may  be  "  absent  in  body  but  present  in 
spirit,"  1  Cor.  v.  3;  may  be  near  each  other,  yet 
effectually  separated  by  difference  of  disposition  and 
by  enmity.  Thus  God  may  be  near  us  in  one  sense 
and  afar  off  in  another.  Hence  there  is  a  spiritual 
coming  to  Christ,  and  there  is  also  a  bodily  coming  to 
him.  The  former  is  by  exercising  the  holy  affections 
now  wrought  by  the  Spirit ;  the  latter  is  by  our  hav- 
ing a  spiritual  body  and  going  to  be  with  him  in  glory. 
Phil.  iii.  21;  1  John  iii.  2.  Redemption  extends  to 
both  body  and  soul — first  to  the  soul,  then  to  the  body. 
All  the  decay  of  our  bodily  system  began  with  spiritual 
death  working  in  the  soul.  The  condition  of  the  body 
is  determined  by  the  foregoing  condition  of  the  soul, 
of  which  it  is  the  earthly  tabernacle.  Spiritual  death, 
when  not  arrested  by  redemption,  has  its  consumma- 


832  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

tion  in  the  dissolution  of  the  body  in  the  grave.  Now 
spiritual  life  follows  the  same  order;  first  a  new  life  is 
imparted  to  the  soul,  as  in  regeneration  and  sanctifi- 
cation,  and  then,  when  the  soul  has  been  thus  renewed, 
God  gives  us  a  new  body,  a  body  adapted  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  soul  thus  restored  to  newness  of  spiritual 
life,  and  hence  characterized  as  a  spiritual  body. 
These  two  things  are  here  distinguished:  the  seeking 
of  our  Lord  mentioned  in  the  former  part  of  this 
chapter,  is  the  seeking  of  him  with  our  spirits,  but  in 
the  mean  time  we  are  in  our  way  to  meet  him  in  his 
glorified  body,  when  we  shall  be  made  like  him  by 
having  a  spiritual  body. 

In  ver.  6 — 11  we  have,  1.  The  splendid  appearance, 
ver.  6.  2.  What  that  cortege  consists  of,  viz:  his 
palanquin  and  its  guard,  ver.  7,  8.  3.  A  description 
of  the  palanquin,  ver.  9,  10.  4.  The  king  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  this  company,  ver.  11. 

As  the  leading  of  Israel  through  the  wilderness  was 
a  representation  of  the  progress  of  the  saints  towards 
glory,  and  as  this  book  sets  forth  the  love  of  Christ 
and  his  people,  the  words  of  ver.  6  may  find  their 
illustration  in  the  camp  in  the  desert.  The  object  in 
bringing  Baalam  up  to  the  high  places,  &c,  Num.  xxii. 
41,  was  to  have  patriarchism  pronounce  an  excommu- 
nication on  the  Jewish  church.  The  patriarchal  reli- 
gion had  been  superseded  by  this;  but  it  would  not 
die  without  an  effort,  as  was  afterwards  the  case  with 
Judaism  in  reference  to  Christianity.  How  imposing 
was  the  sight,  when  from  one  of  the  mountain-tops  near 
Pisgah,  he  beheld  the  goodly  tents  of  the  host  of  Jacob 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  833 

and  Israel  coming  up  from  the  wilderness,  Num.  xxiv. 
5,  0,  beautiful  as  gardens  by  the  river's  side,  as  the 
trees  of  lign-aloes  •which  the  Lord  hath  planted,  as 
cedar-trees  beside  the  waters,  the  pillar  of  cloud  and 
of  fire  overshadowing  the  whole,  with  the  tabernacle 
in  the  midst,  and  with  these,  combined  the  idea  of  a 
nuptial  procession,  as  in  Homer — 

"When  from  hor  halls  through  evening  streets  they  lead 
The  bride,  with  blazing  torches,  and  the  sound 
Of  hymeneal  gladness ;  rings  of  youth 
Dance  to  the  melody  of  flutes  and  harps; 
And  matrons  standing  in  their  doors,  behold 
The  joyous  tumult  with  a  wondering  smile."* 

The  region  lying  between  this  world  and  the  world 
where  Jesus  glorified  is  awaiting  his  saints,  is  as  cer- 
tainly a  lonely  wilderness  as  the  desert  lying  between 
Egypt  and  Canaan.  The  angels  standing  at  the  gates 
and  on  the  battlements  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  see  this 
procession  coming  up  towards  the  Holy  City,  and  are 
filled  with  wonder.  As  the  metropolis  of  the  universe, 
that  city  had  been  heretofore  visited  by  various  com- 
panies from  different  quarters  of  the  dominions  of  the 
King  of  kings,  but  by  none  presenting  an  appearance 
so  unusual.  Those  hitherto  have  come  in  a  different 
way;  these  are  drawing  near  by  "a  new  and  living 
way."  Hence  the  inquiry,  "Who  is  this  that  cometh 
out  of  the  wilderness?" 

"Like  pillars  of  smoke,  &c."f     There  is  not  here 

*  Iliad,  book  xviii. 

f  "Oily  liquids  might  be  burnt  as  well  as  powdered  gums,  in 
their  censers  ;  and  it  is  by  no  means  impossible  that  the  lamps 

29 


334  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

one  pillar,  as  in  the  Jewish  camp,  but  pillars,  many 
rising  and  towering  on  every  side,  and  spreading  into 
a  canopy — or,  according  to  the  suggestions  of  the 
original  word,  going  up  like  a  palm-tree,  straight  up- 
ward for  a  distance,  and  then  spreading  out  like  the 
branches.  Perfumes  were  used  in  great  profusion 
at  eastern  marriages;  the  garments  were  made  to 
smell  richly  of  myrrh,  aloes,  and  cassia;  as  they  came 
forth  from  the  ivory  palaces,  persons  led  the  proces- 
sion with  silver-gilt  pots  of  perfume,  and  the  air  was 
rendered  fragrant  by  burning  aromatics  in  the  win- 
dows of  all  the  houses  in  the  streets  through  which 
the  procession  was  to  pass.  Here  these  perfumes  were 
burnt  so  freely,  that  they  rose  in  pillars,  and  combined 
all  possible  richness  capable  of  being  furnished  by  the 

that  were  carried  before  her,  might  be  fed  with  odoriferous  oils, 
and  make  an  agreeable  addition  to  the  other  precious  smoke. 
So  D'llerbolot  tells  us,  the  Eastern  princes  are  wont  to  burn 
camphor,  a  precious  and  odoriferous  gum,  mingled  with  wax, 
to  light  their  palaces  in  the  night;  and  giving  an  account  of 
the  rich  booty  the  Arabs  found  at  Madam,  in  pillaging  the 
palace  of  the  Persian  monarchs  there,  he  tells  us  they  found 
magazines  of  odoriferous  camphor,  which  was  wont  to  be  burnt 
there,  at  once  to  light  and  perfume  that  palace :  not  to  take 
notice  of  the  frequent  mention  of  tapers  in  the  Arabian  Nights 
Entertainments,  mixed  with  aloes  and  ambergris,  which  gave 
an  agreeable  scent,  as  well  as  delicate  light.  As  for  the  clause, 
"all  the  chief  spices,"  it  is  visible  that  plants,  whose  flowers  or 
leaves  were  fragrant,  are  meant  by  the  word  spices,  as  we  may 
learn  from  the  use  of  that  word  in  the  16th  verse;  and  the 
chief  spices,  therefore,  must  intend  the  principal  aromatic 
plants  that  were  known  and  esteemed  in  those  days." — liar- 
mer,  297. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  335 

perfumer  with  all  the  variety  of  his  spices.     If  one 
pillar  was  such  a  protection  against  the  Egyptians, 
and  such  a  glory  to  Israel  in  the  desert,  Exod.  xiv.  20, 
what  must  be  the  grandeur  and  security  of  these  many 
pillars  of  incense   around  the  individuals  of  the  host 
passing  onward  to  glory.    Those  pillars  are  the  righte- 
ousness of  Christ,  a  righteousness  glorious  to  the  con- 
templation, mighty  to  save.     In  his  righteousness  is 
included  all  that  he  did  and  suffered  for  us  in  obtain- 
ing- salvation;  "his  intercession  is  the  continued  effi- 
cacy  of  his  expiatory  merit,  and  has  hence  been  spoken 
of  by  some  as  a  perpetual  oblation."     We  would  un- 
derstand by  these  pillars  of  incense,  both  what  he  did 
on  earth,  his  righteousness,  and  what  he  is  now  doing 
in  heaven,  his  intercession.     The  saint  is  passing  on- 
ward to  glory,  encompassed  and  protected  by  both 
these.     As  the  Jewish  high-priest  went  into  the  most 
holy  place,  amid  a  cloud  of  incense  from  the  golden 
censer,  so  did  Jesus  enter  heaven,  and  thus  does  he 
there  remain  amid  the  cloud  of  glorious  incense  of  his 
intercession ;  and  thus  must  his  saints  enter  there,  en- 
compassed with  the  incense  of  his  prayers  in  our  behalf. 
His  intercession  for  us  is  continual  in  our  progress 
through  this  world  towards  heaven.     Hence  we  have 
always  an  answer  in  the  heavenly  sanctuary  to  the 
calumnies  of  Satan,  and  may  be  assured  of  acceptance 
with  God   through  him  whose  offering  is   unto  the 
Father  of  a  sweet-smelling  savour.     As  the  phoenix 
was  fabled  to  rise  from  the  midst  of  the  fires  and  sweet 
odours  in  which  the  parent  bird  had  died  in  the  temple 
of  the  sun  in  Egypt,  and  spread  its  wings  toward  hea- 


336  COMMENTARY     ON     TIIE 

ven,  as  thus  beginning  an  existence  running  through 
centuries,  so  do  our  renovated  souls  rise  from  amid  the 
richer  than  aromatic  fires  and  incense  in  which  Jesus 
perished,  and  mount  upward  on  wings  as  eagles,  covered 
with  feathers  more  beautiful  than  ruby  and  gold,  on 
the  cycle  of  a  life  running  through  ages  of  ages,  carry- 
ing with  us  the  memorials  of  the  death  of  him  through 
whom  we  live,  and  bearing  them  away  with  us  to  our 
eternal  repose  in  the  temple  of  the  skies. 

Ver.  7. — Behold  his  bed,  which  is  Solomon's,  &c. 

These  words  are  the  answer  to  the  question  in  the 
foregoing  verse,  "Lo,  it  is  the  palanquin  of  Solo- 
mon." The  word  "bed"  here  means  a  kind  of  sedan 
chair  or  open  vehicle,  in  which  persons  in  the  East 
are  carried  on  men's  shoulders.  Such  was  the  means 
of  conveying  the  bride  to  the  house  of  the  bride- 
groom. When  Jesus  was  received  up  into  heaven,  it 
was  by  a  cloud;  when  he  appears  the  second  time, 
"behold,  he  com eth  with  clouds;"  "he  maketh  the 
clouds  his  chariot,"  and  not  to  mention  other  places, 
the  appearance  in  Ezek.  i.,  was  with  a  convey- 
ance or  chariot  of  glory  beyond  description.  Thus, 
the  saint  is  here  represented  as  passing  onward  in  a 
conveyance,  chariot,  or  whatever  called,  towards  hea- 
ven. When  God  would  represent  the  glory  of  the 
way  in  which  Elijah  was  taken  up,  he  made  visible  a 
chariot  and  horses  of  fire — as  light  is  the  best  symbol 
of  what  is  pure  and  glorious.  Every  saint  has  a 
conveyance  as  real,  though  not  visible  to  bodily  eyes. 
As  it  is  a  chariot  for  the  soul,  this  cannot  be  seen 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  837 

any  more  than  the  soul.  In  the  case  of  Elijah,  the 
conveyance  was  seen,  because  God  was  taking  up 
body  as  well  as  soul.  "When  by  withdrawing  at 
death  the  film  of  mortality  now  over  them,  our  eyes 
are  opened  like  those  of  the  young  man  of  the 
prophet,  2  Kings  vi.  17,  we  shall  find  our  souls  in  a 
bridal  chariot,  in  which,  from  the  moment  of  regene- 
ration, we  have  been  moving  onward  to  the  arms  of 
our  beloved  Lord.  While  perfectly  free  in  working 
out  our  salvation,  on  him  we  are  dependent;  "in 
him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being;"  he 
gathers  us  in  his  arm,  and  carries  us  in  his  bosom; 
yet  all  this  he  does  through  means,  by  the  chariot  of 
salvation,  and  through  the  agency  of  those  who  are 
"ministering  spirits."  Ileb.  i.  14. 

Hence,  around  this  bed,  litter,  palanquin  of  the 
saint,  "are  threescore  valiant  men,  of  the  valiant  of 
Israel.  They  all  hold  swords,  being  expert  in  war; 
every  man  hath  his  sword  on  his  thigh,  because  of 
fear  in  the  night."  ver.  8.*  On  account  of  the  auda- 
city of  the  Arabs,  weddings  were  often  turned  into 
mourning  by  enemies  lying  in  ambush.  See  1  Mac- 
cabees ix.  37 — 41.  "They  went  up  and  hid  them- 
selves under  the  covert  of  the  mountain ;  where  they 
lifted  up  their  eyes  and  looked,  and  behold  there  was 
much  ado  and  great  carriage;  and  the  bridegroom 
came  forth  and  his  friends  and  brethren  to  meet 
them,  with  drums  and  instruments  of  music  and  many 

*  "With  the  exception  of  occasional  alarms  in  the  night, 
caused  by  thieves  attempting  to  steal  our  horses,  we  were  not 
disturbed  during  our  visit." — Layard,  i.  105. 
29* 


338  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

weapons:  Then  Jonathan  and  those  that  were  with 
him  rose  up  against  them  from  the  place  where  they 
lay  in  ambush,  and  made  a  slaughter  of  them  in  such 
sort  as  many  fell  down  dead,  and  the  remnant  fled 
into  the  mountains;  and  they  took  all  their  spoils. 
Thus  was  the  marriage  turned  into  mourning  and 
their  noise  of  their  melody  into  lamentation." 

"It  was  the  custom  then  to  bring  away 
The  bride  from  home  at  blushing  shut  of  day, 
Veiled,  in  a  chariot,  heralded  along 
By  strewn  flowers,  torches,  and  a  marriage  song 
With  other  pageants." 

Around  the  saint  are  enemies  lying  in  ambush  amid 
the  gloom  shrouding  from  us  the  invisible  world,  and 
anxious  to  do  us  every  possible  injury.  The  holy 
angels  are  our  guard  against  these.  "  The  angel  of 
the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that  fear 
him."  They  are  sent  from  heaven  as  a  guard,  an 
escort  for  us  during  our  passage  through  this  wilder- 
ness to  heaven. 

"  Millions  of  spiritual  beings  walk  the  earth 
Both  when  we  wake  and  when  we  sleep ;  the  soul 
Made  in  this  wilderness  the  Spirit's  shrine, 
A  thousand  liveried  angels  lacky  her, 
Driving  far  off  each  thing  of  sin  and  guilt."* 

And  when  at  death  the  believer  finds  his  eye  opening 
on  the  mysteries  of  the  unseen  world,  hitherto  around 
him,  but  invisible  to  flesh,  he  sees  battalions  of  angels 
waiting  as  a  triumphant  guard,  and  they  close  their 

*  Milton. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  839 

0 

shining  ranks  around  the  heir  of  heaven,  and  with 
the  proud  tread  of  victory,  escort  him  safe  through 
the  regions  of  the  dead;  and  the  prince  of  dark- 
ness from  afar  looks  with  dismay  on  another  soul 
wrested  from  his  grasp;  and  the  exulting  band  ap- 
proach the  New  Jerusalem  with  strains  of  triumphal 
music;  and  they  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the 
city.  In  the  text,  the  number  of  sixty  is  mentioned, 
a  definite  for  an  indefinite  number,  a  sufficiency  for 
any  possible  emergencies;  and  they  are  called  "the 
valiant  of  Israel,"  not  a  band  of  mercenaries  who 
cannot  be  relied  on,  but  native-born  soldiers,  faithful 
to  their  sovereign  and  his  interests,  from  patriotic 
attachment;  thus  we  may  feel  this  angelic  guard  is 
sufficient  for  repelling  any  foes,  and  will  ever  be 
steadfast  to  us  through  their  devotion  to  our  king. 

Ver.  9,  10. — King  Solomon  made  himself  a  chariot  of 
the  wood  of  Lebanon.  He  made  the  pillars  thereof  of  sil- 
ver, the  bottom  thereof  of  gold,  the  covering  of  it  of  purple ; 
the-midst  thereof  being  paved  with  love,  for  the  daughters  of 
Jerusalem. 

The  word  "chariot"  here  is  explanatory  of  "bed" 
in  ver.  7,  and  means  a  sedan,  a  portable  couch,  or 
palanquin.  The  object  of  these  verses  is  to  set  before 
us  the  remarkable  beauty  and  excellence  of  the  con- 
veyance provided  by  Solomon  for  his  bride.  Such 
vehicles  are  even  yet  in  use  in  the  East,  and  are  of 
equal  magnificence.  In  the  year  1796,  the  British 
government  presented  the  Nabob  of  the  Carnatic 
with  a  carriage  of  this  kind,  thus  described  at  the 
time :  "  The  beams  are  solid  gold,  the  inside  bcauti- 


340  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

fully  decorated  with  silver  lining  and  fringe  through- 
out: the  panels  are  painted  in  the  highest  style  of 
finishing,  and  represent  various  groups  and  heads  of 
animals,  after  the  manner  of  Asia,  beaded  with  gold 
richly  raised  above  the  surface,  and  engraved.  The 
stays  and  different  other  ornaments  are  of  embossed 
silver."  Such  litters  were  in  use  among  the  Egyp- 
tians. Wilkinson  gives  a  copy  of  a  representation  of 
a  person  of  distinction  carried  in  an  open  palanquin 
by  four  bearers,  followed  by  an  attendant  with  a  sort 
of  parasol.  Those  yet  in  use  in  the  East  are  couches 
with  a  canopy  supported  by  pillars  at  the  four  cor- 
ners, and  hung  round  with  curtains,  to  protect  the 
person  within  from  the  sun,  and  carried  on  men's 
shoulders,  or  in  their  hands,  by  means  of  poles  by 
which  they  are  supported.  They  are  long  enough 
for  the  rider  to  lie  down  at  length,  and  about  three 
feet  broad,  though  varying  in  size  and  richness 
according  to  the  wealth  of  the  owner.*  In  this  of 
Solomon,  "the  pillars"  were  silver;  "the  bottom"  as 
in  our  version,  or  more  correctly,  "the  railing" 
around  it,  was  gold;  the  seat— English  version,  "cov- 

*  Robert  Fitch,  in  his  voyage  to  the  kingdom  of  Pegu,  in 
1591,  speaking  of  its  sovereign,  says,  "The  king  keepeth 
great  state.  When  he  rideth  abroad,  he  rideth  with  a  great 
guard,  and  many  noblemen;  oftentimes  upon  an  elephant 
with  a  fine  castle  upon  him,  very  fairly  gilded  with  gold ;  and 
sometimes  upon  a  great  frame  like  a  horse-litter,  which  hath  a 
little  house  upon  it,  covered  overhead,  but  open  on  the  sides, 
which  is  all  gilded  with  gold,  and  set  with  many  rubies  and 
sapphires,  whereof  he  hath  infinite  store  in  his  country,  and  is 
carried  upon  sixteen  or  eighteen  men's  shoulders." 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  341 

ering" — was  purple;  the  midst  thereof  being  check- 
ered or  tesselated  with  love,  "for  the  daughters  of 
Jerusalem."  Among  the  different  interpretations  of 
these  words,  this  seems  the  best,  and  in  accordance 
with  the  Hebrew;  this  chariot  was  made  thus  rich 
and  beautiful  for  their  benefit;  the  last  clause  being 
thus  understood  as  referring  not  merely  to  the  midst 
paved  with  love,  but  to  the  whole  structure  of  the 
vehicle. 

It  seems  no  part  of  the  mind  of  the  Spirit  that  we 
should  take  this  description  to  pieces,  and  try  to 
allegorize  the  several  parts.  The  intention  is  to  re- 
present to  us  the  fact  that  the  believer  is  carried 
onward  to  heaven  in  a  conveyance  as  costly  and 
glorious  as  that  here  described;  that  the  materials 
are  of  the  richest,  choicest,  most  durable  character; 
that  the  midst  is  paved  or  tesselated  with  love.  The 
provision  made,  the  means  provided  for  bringing  us 
to  glory,  are  of  a  rare  and  splendid  nature.  After 
exhausting  the  things  most  valuable  among  men, 
making  the  pillars  silver,  the  railing  gold,  the  seat 
or  couch  purple,  he  adopts  a  feature  in  the  descrip- 
tion entirely  new,  and  says  the  midst  is  curiously 
wrought  with  something  more  precious  than  silver  or 
gold,  even  with  love  itself — showing  that  the  saint, 
while  thus  passing  through  the  wilderness  between 
this  world  and  heaven,  between,  our  state  of  guilt  and 
our  state  of  glory,  is  in  a  palanquin  of  the  most  costly 
make,  borne  up  in  the  hands  of  angels,  surrounded 
by  an  armed  angelic  guard,  and  reclining  on  a  soft 


342  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

couch  beautiful  as  purple,  the  most  costly  colour, 
with  the  midst  of  the  litter  formed  of  love — the  many 
acts  of  divine  love  from  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit, 
there  combining  underneath  us  like  the  different 
pieces  in  a  beautiful  mosaic,  tesselated  pavement.  In 
the  spirit  of  this  passage,  those  who  wait  on  the  Lord 
are  said  to  renew  their  strength;  and  he  will  give 
his  angels  charge  concerning  such,  to  bear  them  up 
in  their  hands,  lest  at  any  time  they  dash  their  foot 
against  a  stone.  Isa.  xl.  31,  Ps.  xci.  12.  With  the 
author  of  our  faith  finishing  his  temptation  in  the 
wilderness,  it  may  be  said  of  every  saint  passed  away 
to  glory: 

"A  fiery  globe 
Of  angels  on  full  sail  of  -wing  flew  nigh, 
Who  on  their  plumy  vans  received  him  soft 
From  his  uneasy  station,  and  upbore 
As  on  a  floating  couch  through  the  blithe  air; 
Then  in  a  flowery  valley  set  him  down 
On  a  green  bank,  and  set  before  him  spread 
A  table  of  celestial  food,  divine 
Ambrosial  fruits,  fetch'd  from  the  tree  of  life, 
And  from  the  fount  of  life  ambrosial  drink."* 

The  redeemed  soul  is  a  "peculiar  treasure,"  Vs. 
exxxv.  4;  this  litter  is  the  casket,  the  conveyance,  in 
which  it  is  carried  towards  heaven  by  the  hands  of 
angels,  sent  by  Jesus,  our  elder  brother,  gone  away 
to  prepare  a  place  for  us  in  a  better  land  than  Egypt, 
and  more  fitted  to  cheer  our  fainting  spirits  than  the 
wagons  sent  by  Joseph,  which  so  revived  the  heart  of 

*  Paradise  Regained,  book  iv.  5S1. 


SONO    OP    SOLOMON.  343 

Jacob.*  To  human  appearance,  we  are  in  the  con- 
dition of  the  prophet  who  ran  by  the  side,  while  Ahab 
was  within  the  chariot ;  yet  as  the  hand  of  the  Lord 
was  on  Elijah  for  enabling  him  to  glide  along  before 
the  swift-rolling  vehicle  of  the  king;  and  to  angels' 
eyes  he  was  in  a  chariot  far  more  glorious,  unseen  by 
flesh,  of  a  spiritual  fabric;  thus  are  we  in  reality 
moving  towards  heaven,  while  around  us,  amid  the 
darkness  of  our  present  state,  angels  and  the  spirits 
of  just  men  made  perfect  see  "the  shining  of  a  naming 

*  With  this  representation  we  may  compare  the  following 
from  Pindar,  where  in  the  ninth  Pythian  Ode,  he  is  speaking 
of  Cyrene:  "Whom  the  long-haired  son  of  Latona  snatched 
away  from  the  recesses  of  Pelion  echoing  with  the  wind,  and 
in  his  golden  chariot  brought  the  virgin  huntress,  where  he 
constituted  her  sovereign  of  the  realms  teeming  with  flocks 
and  transcendently  fertile.  And  the  silver-footed  Venus, 
gently  touching  with  her  hand,  received  the  Delian  stranger, 
as  he  alighted  from  his  heaven-built  car." 

Thus,  in  the  Iliad,  Dolon  says  of  the  chariot  of  Rhesus, 
"With  gold  and  silver  all  his  chariot  burns." 
And  the  same  poet  thus  describes  the  chariot  of  Juno: 
"Hebe  to  the  chariot  roll'd 
The  brazen  wheels,  and  joined  them  to  the  smooth 
Steel  axle;  twice  four  spokes  divided  each, 
Shot  from  the  centre  to  the  verge.     The  verge 
Was  gold,  by  fellies  of  eternal  brass 
Guarded,  a  dazzling  show!     The  shining  naves 
Were  silver;  silver  cords,  and  cords  of  gold, 
The  seat  upbore;  two  crescents  blazed  in  front. 
The  pole  was  argent  all,  to  which  she  bound 
The  golden  yoke  with  its  appendant  charge 
Inserted  braces,  straps  and  bands  of  gold." — Iliad,  v.  719. 


344  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

fire,"  Isa.  iv.  6,  even  the  splendour  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  Jesus.  The  angel  of  the  covenant  who  ap- 
peared to  Manoah,  when  the  flame  of  the  sacrifice 
offered  on  the  rock  went  up  toward  heaven,  ascended 
in  the  flame  of  the  altar,  "as  in  a  chariot,"  uavtp 
bxripotrov  says  Josephus;  and  like  him,  the  souls  of 
the  redeemed  pass  up  towards  glory  in  this  precious 
chariot  of  salvation,  pillowed  on  love,  surrounded  by 
an  escort  of  angels,  amid  pillars  of  incense  of  the 
intercession  of  our  divine  Redeemer,  and  wrapped  in 
the  splendour  of  the  righteousness  of  the  sacrifice 
offered  for  us  on  the  altar  of  the  divine  nature  of 
Christ,  even  "the  Rock  of  ages." 

Ver.  11. — Go  forth,  0  ye  daughters  of  Zion,  and  behold 
king  Solomon  with  the  crown  wherewith  his  mother  crown- 
ed him  in  the  day  of  his  espousals,  and  in  the  day  of  the 
gladness  of  his  heart. 

These  words  show  the  reception  awaiting  us  on  our 
arrival  in  heaven.  While  the  magnificent  cortege 
just  noticed  are  coming  up  through  the  wilderness, 
that  greater  than  Solomon,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  is 
standing  ready  to  receive  us  with  all  the  gladness  of 
a  marriage  festivity.  The  daughters  of  Zion,  a  gen- 
eral expression  for  the  inmates  of  heaven,  while  gazing 
on  this  sight,  are  called  on  to  behold  the  splendour  of 
the  appearance  of  Jesus  and  of  his  retinue  as  awaiting 
his  redeemed  in  glory.  The  Jews  knew  nothing 
richer  than  the  attire  of  a  bridegroom ;  hence  even  of 
the  sun,  "  He  cometh  forth  as  a  bridegroom  out  of  his 
chamber."  It  was  here  sufficient  to  mention  merely 
the  nuptial  crown.     The  use  of  nuptial  crowns  was 


SONG    OF     SOLOMON.  845 

very  ancient  and  very  general.*  Selden  has  gather- 
ed the  information  on  this  suhject  in  his  Uxor  Heb. 
lib.  2.  Among  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  these  crowns 
were  usually  chaplets  of  flowers.  The  Talmud  states 
that  the  crown  of  the  bridegroom  was  of  gold  or  sil- 
ver, or  else  a  wreath  of  roses,  olives,  or  myrtle ;  that 
the  bride's  crown  was  of  gold  or  silver,  in  the  shape 
of  a  tower,  like  those  represented  on  the  head  of  the 
heathen  goddess  Cybele.  Jesus  is  crowned  with 
many  crowns.  Rev.  xix.  12.  There  was  no  crown 
given  by  the  ancients  for  distinguished  conduct,  which 
is  not  merited  by  our  Lord.  But  on  the  reception  of 
his  ransomed  ones,  here  referred  to,  there  is  peculiar 
propriety  in  mentioning  only  the  nuptial  crown. 

*  "  It  was  usual  with  many  nations  to  put  crowns  or  garlands 
on  the  heads  of  new-married  persons.  The  Mishna  informs 
us  that  this  custom  prevailed  among  the  Jews;  and  it  should 
seem  from  the  passage  before  us,  that  the  ceremony  of  putting 
it  on  was  performed  by  one  of  the  parents.  Among  the  Greeks 
the  bride  was  crowned  by  her  mother,  as  appears  from  the 
instance  of  Iphigenia  in  Euripides,  v.  903.  Bochart  supposes 
this  the  nuptial  crown  and  other  ornaments  of  a  bride,  alluded 
to  in  Ezekiel  xvi.  8 — 12.  Georgr.  Sacr.  p.  2,  c.  25.  The  nup- 
tial crowns  used  among  the  Greeks  and  Romans  were  only 
chaplets  of  leaves  or  flowers.  Among  the  Hebrews  they  were 
not  only  of  these,  but  also  occasionally  of  richer  materials,  as 
gold  or  silver,  according  to  the  rank  or  wealth  of  the  parties. 
The  original  word  used  in  the  text  is  the  same  used  to  express 
a  kingly  crown  in  2  Sam.  xii.  30;  1  Chron.  xxii.  2;  and  is 
often  described  to  be  of  gold,  Esth.  viii.  15;  Ps.  xxi.  4;  but 
appears  to  have  been  worn  by  those  who  were  no  kings,  Job 
xix.  9,  and  was  probably  often  composed  of  less  valuable  ma- 
terials ;  as  of  enamelled  work,  also  of  roses,  myrtle,  and  olive- 
leaves." — Bishop  Percy. 

30 


346  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

We  naturally  inquire,  How  will  Jesus  receive  me  on 
my  approach  to  heaven?  The  answer  is  here.  He 
is  awaiting  us,  not  as  he  appeared  when  discoursing 
on  the  mount,  when  sitting  at  Jacob's  well,  when 
weeping  over  Jerusalem,  when  ascending  from  Olivet, 
or  even  as  when  appearing  to  John  at  Patmos ;  but 
invested  with  all  the  glory  of  heaven,  and  with  the 
affection  of  the  bridegroom  receiving  the  bride.  For 
"as  the  bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride,  so  shall 
thy  God  rejoice  over  thee."  Isa.  lxii.  5.  That  time 
will  be  a  day  not  of  trouble  and  war,  but  of  marriage 
festivity;  the  conflict  over;  his  soul  not  exceeding 
sorrowful  unto  death,  as  in  Gethsemane,  but  exulting 
in  having  finished  the  work  of  redemption  by  the  des- 
truction of  even  the  last  enemy  death,  and  in  having 
nothing  henceforth,  but  the  uninterrupted  enjoyment 
of  the  society  of  the  bride,  the  wife  of  the  Lamb.  To 
this  period  had  he  reference  continually  in  his  humil- 
iation. "For  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  he 
endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set 
down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God."  Heb. 
xii.  2.  "The  Lord  shall  rejoice  in  his  works,"  Ps. 
civ.  31 ;  especially  shall  he  rejoice  in  the  completion 
of  redemption,  and  in  the  finishing  stroke  of  the 
bringing  of  many  sons  unto  glory.  Amid  the  dis- 
couragements, the  conflicts,  the  gloom  of  earth,  with 
our  souls  passing  onward  to  heaven  in  a  chariot  paved 
with  love,  borne  in  the  hands  of  angels,  and  with 
Jesus  crowned  with  glory  and  honour,  crowned  with 
a  nuptial  crown,  awaiting  us,  well  may  we  rejoice 
even  in  tribulation,  and  sing,  "I  will  greatly  rejoice 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  347 

in  the  Lord,  my  soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God;  for 
he  hath  clothed  me  with  the  garments  of  salvation, 
he  hath  covered  me  with  the  robe  of  righteousness,  as 
a  bridegroom  decketh  himself  with  ornaments,  and 
as  a  bride  adorneth.  herself  with  her  jewels."  Isa. 
lxi.  10. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  soul,  thus  conveyed  to  the  bosom  of  Jesus,  is 
oppressed  with  a  deepening  sense  of  unworthiness, 
and  finds  difficulty  in  believing  there  can  be  so  glo- 
rious a  destiny  awaiting  us ;  conscious  of  our  cor- 
ruptions and  short  comings,  we  cannot  understand 
how  the  pure  eyes  of  Jesus  can  see  anything  in  us 
attractive.  Hence,  he  takes  special  pains  to  enlarge 
on  this  point,  and  assure  us  how  greatly  he  delights 
in  beholding  our  ripening  graces.  This  is  the  por- 
tion of  the  Scriptures  which  sets  forth  what  is  thought 
by  Christ,  the  King  of  glory,  concerning  those  who 
are  despised  and  offcast  by  the  world. 

When  Zeuxis  would  paint  Helen  the  most  beautiful 
of  women,  he  copied  the  beauties  from  several  differ- 
ent persons,  and  by  concentrating  these  in  an  indi- 
vidual, represented  a  beau  ideal  of  feminine  grace.* 

*  These  principles  have  been  laid  down  by  Cicero  for  eluci- 
dating another  subject.  "  We  can  conceive  of  something  more 
beautiful  than  even  the  statues  of  Phidias  and  the  pictures  I 
have  mentioned,  than  which  we  can  think  of  nothing  more 
perfect  in  their  kind.  Yet  that  artist  when  about  to  make  the 
statue  of  Jupiter  and  of  Minerva,  did  not  draw  his  representa- 


348  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

In  these  following  descriptions  of  both  the  bride  and 
the  beloved,  the  same  course  is  pursued  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  save  that  the  beauties  are  here  embodied  in 
words  instead  of  colours,  and  are  represented  by  com- 
parisons drawn  from  the  beauties  of  nature.  Yet  it 
is  entirely  according  to  the  rules  of  poetry  and  the 
laws  of  nature,  that  the  beauty  of  a  person  be  illus- 
trated by  the  beauty  of  natural  objects.  Lord  Jeffrey 
says,  "  Our  sense  of  beauty  depends  entirely  on  our 
previous  experience  of  simpler  pleasures  or  emotions, 
and  consists  in  the  suggestion  of  agreeable  or  inte- 
resting sensations  with  which  we  had  formerly  been 
made  familiar  by  the  direct  and  intelligible  agency  of 
our  common  sensibilities;  and  that  vast  variety  of 
objects  to  which  we  give  the  common  name  of  beautiful, 
become  entitled  to  that  appellation,  merely  because 
they  all  possess  the  power  of  recalling  or  reflecting 
those  sensations  of  which  they  have  been  the  accom- 
paniments, or  with  which  they  have  been  associated 
in  our  imagination  by  any  other  more  casual  bond  of 
connection."  The  same,  or  very  similar  effects,  may 
be  produced  on  the  mind  from  different  sources  and 
by  different  causes.  A  picture  may  make  impres- 
sions of  beauty  very  like  those  raised  by  a  landscape 
of  which  it  is  the  copy ;  music  may  be  so  composed 
as  to  start  feelings  of  the  same  kind;  a  relic,  a 
memento  may  be  the  occasion  of  reviving  a  whole 

tion  from  any  visible  thing,  but  there  was  abiding  in  his  mind 
an  imaginary  form  of  beauty,  and  studying  this  attentively,  he 
fashioned  his  representations  after  this  image." — Cicero,  Ora- 
tor. 2. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  349 

cloud  of  remembrances;  things  very  unlike  in  point 
of  fact  may  awaken  the  same  sensations  in  the  breast, 
by  suggesting  analogies:  as  when  Ossian  says,  "The 
music  of  Carryl  was  like  the  memory  of  joys  that  are 
past,  pleasant  and  mournful  to  the  soul."  "The 
grounds  or  causes  of  beauty,  while  the  result  or  in- 
ternal emotion  is  always  identical  in  its  nature,  are 
multiplied  and  various.  In  other  words,  beauty  in 
the  mind  is  one,  while  outward  beauty,  or  rather  the 
causes  of  beauty  in  outward  objects,  is  many." 

Now,  in  these  descriptions,  Jesus  wishes  to  give  us 
an  idea  of  the  impressions  of  beauty  and  pleasure  he 
has  in  contemplating  the  souls  of  the  saints.  Hence, 
he  must  use  resemblances,  and  those  of  things  we  can 
see  and  enjoy.  He  might  have  used  comparisons 
drawn  from  the  angelic  host  and  superior  beings ;  but 
such  illustrations  could  not  have  done  us  any  good,  for 
they  could  not  convey  to  us  any  idea.  Nor  would  it 
answer  to  use  references  to  others  of  the  human  race ; 
for  there  is  no  perfection  on  earth,  and  the  Scriptures 
are  for  the  benefit  of  mankind  at  large  in  all  ages;  so 
that  the  reference  should  be  to  things  which  may  be 
essentially  lasting.  Here  we  find  an  unbounded  field 
opened  in  the  beauties  of  nature.  The  resemblance 
in  these  comparisons  consists  not  in  any  outward 
likeness,  but  lies  in  the  views  and  effects  produced  in 
the  views  and  sensations  of  the  soul,  in  the  pleasure 
had  in  contemplating  these  natural  objects.  Here  is 
light  combining  seven  different  colours;  how  would 
the  philosopher  represent  what  he  sees  in  it,  to  an 
ignorant  man?  He  would  say,  One  of  these  is  like 
30* 


850  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

the  violet,  another  blue  like  the  sky,  a  third  like  the 
verdure,  another  like  the  rose.  In  these  comparisons, 
the  only  resemblance  is  in  the  effect  produced  on  the 
mind  by  the  colours.  These  natural  objects  and  the 
rainbow,  so  unlike  in  other  respects,  agree  in  this — in 
making  certain  impressions  on  us  which  are  expressed 
by  our  words  for  those  colours.  Now  the  pure  in 
heart  are  growing  like  God,  who  is  light;  and  Jesus, 
in  pointing  out  what  hidden  beauty  he  sees  in  the 
soul,  says,  those  graces  of  the  Christian  life  produce 
on  him  impressions  more  pleasing  than  those  made 
on  us  by  the  lovely  objects  there  specified  in  nature. 
And  the  mode  of  some  interpreters  in  explaining 
these,  is  as  unreasonable  as  it  would  be  to  run  the 
parallel  farther  than  the  mere  colour,  out  into  the 
most  minute  particulars;  between  the  tints  of  the 
rainbow  and  the  objects  by  which  they  might  be 
illustrated. 

This  is  exactly  what  might  be  expected  in  cases 
like  the  present.  Christ  is  a  spiritual  being;  and 
though  invested  with  a  body,  that  is  a  spiritual  body. 
There  can  therefore  be  no  outward  resemblance  be- 
tween him  and  these  material  objects;  nor  between 
these  and  the  renewed  soul  as  it  appears  in  his  eyes. 
That  likeness  must  therefore  exist  in  the  emotions 
and  impressions  made  on  the  soul. 

Ver.  1. — Behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  love;  behold,  thou  art 
fair;  thou  hast  doves'  eyes  withiu  thy  locks. 

See  notes  on  chap.  i.  15.*    The  large  beautiful  eye 

*  "It  was  pleasant,  now  and  then,  to  look  up  from  one's 
book,  as  the  window  was  darkened  by  a  slight  turban  from 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  351 

of  the  Syrian  dove  appears  even  more  beautiful  when 
seen  amid  its  native  groves  of  noble  trees  and  rich 
foliage ;  and  hence  the  eyes  of  the  saint  are  spoken 
of  as  embowered  within  her  locks.*  The  point  of  the 
words  does  therefore  seem  to  be  this,  that  Jesus  con- 
templates the  expression  of  love  beaming  from  the 
soul  of  the  pure  in  heart,  with  a  pleasure  greater  than 
what  is  felt  by  us  in  gazing  on  the  large,  sparkling, 
melting  eyes  of  the  Syrian  dove,  amid  the  wild  beauty 
of  its  native  groves. 

which  rich  tresses  hung  over  the  shoulder,  and  dark  but  gentle 
eyes  shone  beneath  it.  The  bosom  was  generally  open,  or  but 
partially  enclosed  by  the  crape  garment  within;  alight  turban, 
or  a  handkerchief  of  Damascus  silk,  covered  the  head,  from 
which  the  rich  hair  flowed  free,  or  was  plaited  into  two  long 
braids.  Suddenly  the  door  opened,  the  tapestry  that  hung 
over  it  was  moved  aside  by  a  beautifully  rounded  arm,  on 
which  jewels  gleamed,  and  there  stepped  forth  a  female  form 
which  fascinated  my  attention  as  if  it  had  been  a  vision.  She 
had  a  light  gauzy  turban,  with  a  glittering  fringe  falling  grace- 
fully over  the  shoulder;  masses  of  black  and  shining  hair, 
that  made  the  forehead  and  delicately  browned  cheek  look  as 
fair  as  a  Circassian's ;  if  a  thought  of  luxury  hovered  upon  tho 
richly  rosy  mouth,  it  was  awed  into  admiration  by  the  large 
dark  eyes,  so  fearless,  yet  so  modest,  glancing  round  as  if  they 
read  a  meaning  in  every  thing,  and  everywhere,  yet  calm  and 
self-possessed  in  their  consciousness  of  power." — Warburton's 
Crescent  and  Cross,  ii.  132. 

*  We  retain  the  rendering  "within  thy  locks,"  rather  than 
"  within  thy  veil."  1.  The  same  Hebrew  word  is  translated 
"locks,"  in  Isa.  xlvii.  2.  2.  The  Arabic  root,  as  given  in 
Gesenius  andAViner,  favours  this.  3.  The  connection  requires 
this  meaning.  4.  Locks  adds  to  the  consistency  of  the  portrait ; 
and  the  Jewish  females  carefully  cultivated  a  luxuriant  growth 
of  hair. 


352  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

Thy  hair  is  as  a  flock  of  goats  that  appear  from  mount 
Gilead. 

The  Hebrew  here  reads,  "  Thy  hair  is  as  a  flock 
of  goats  that  lie  down  from  mount  Gilead;"  that 
is,  like  a  flock  of  goats  lying  along  the  sides  of 
mount  Gilead  from  the  top  towards  the  bottom, 
so  that  they  seem  to  hang  from  it.  The  hair  of 
the  oriental  goat  has  the  fineness  of  silk,  and  is  ex- 
pressly observed  by  an  ancient  naturalist  to  bear  a 
great  resemblance  to  the  fine  ringlets  of  a  woman's 
hair.  The  Angora  species  of  goat  is  probably  meant 
here.  The  country  of  Gilead  was  most  beautiful  and 
fertile,  and  abounding  in  rich  pastures  and  aromatic 
growths,  among  which  was  the  celebrated  balsam. 
The  whole  region  is  covered  with  groups  of  limestone 
mountains,  intersected  by  fertile  valleys,  and  includes 
the  territory  east  of  Jordan,  as  far  south  as  the 
Jabbok.  Hills  rising  behind  hills  in  pleasing  eleva- 
tions, clothed  with  luxuriant  verdure ;  the  finest  trees 
and  noblest  oaks ;  lovely  slopes  opening  in  the  forest, 
and  affording  the  best  pastures  and  most  lovely 
flowers;  valleys  murmuring  with  limpid  rills;  and  the 
romantic  wildness  softened  by  lovely  park-like  scenes; 
all  combined  to  form  a  landscape  so  delightful  that 
the  beholder  could  hardly  persuade  himself  it  was 
real.  Such  mountain  scenes  were  more  beautiful 
when  on  their  slopes  might  have  been  seen  a  flock  of 
these  beautiful  goats  lying  down.  The  comparison 
of  a  fine  head  of  hair  to  the  long,  silk-like  fleece  of 
such  goats  in  such  a  scene,  was  natural.  Few  things 
could  be  more  beautiful  than  the  sight  of  such  a  flock 


SONO     OF     SOLOMON.  1353 

reclining  on  the  verdant,  balmy  slopes  of  Gilead,  on  a 
clear,  calm  day.  Now  in  conveying  to  us  an  idea  of 
the  satisfaction  Jesus  has  in  dwelling  on  his  saints, 
he  here  gives  an  additional  particular,  and  says,  that 
in  contemplating  us,  another  group  of  delightful  im- 
pressions is  gathered  into  his  heart,  like  that  felt  in 
gazing  on  a  flock  of  those  goats,  with  long,  silky  hair, 
amid  the  richness,  beauty,  and  grandeur  of  Gilead. 

Ver.  2. — Thy  teeth  are  like  a  flock  of  sheep  that  are 
even  shorn,*  which  came  up  from  the  washing;  whereof 
every  one  bear  twins,  and  none  is  barren  among  them. 

Rather,  "thy  teeth  are  like  a  flock  of  sheep  all  of 
the  same  size."  The  word  rendered  "bear  twins"  is 
in  Exod.  xxvi.  24,  "coupled  together,"  speaking  of  the 
boards  of  the  tabernacle,  and  may  refer  to  the  flocks 
standing  close  together;  as  "none  is  barren"  ex- 
presses the  perfection  of  the  flock.     Coming  up  from 

*  The  word  "even  shorn,"  means  of  an  equal  size.  1.  This 
is  not  the  common  word  for  shorn  in  the  Hebrew.  2.  The 
woi'd,  in  other  places,  has  a  meaning  in  accordance  with 
what  we  here  give.  1  Kings  vi.  25,  "were  of  one  size;"  also, 
1  Kings  vii.  37,  "one  size."  "This  expression,"  says  Rosen- 
muller,  "embodies  the  idea,  that  two  or  more  things,  whether 
of  wood  or  stone,  had  been  so  wrought  that  the  same  relative 
proportion  was  preserved  among  them.  By  a  metaphor  thence 
derived,  this  Hebrew  word  is  applied  to  sheep,  for  showing  that 
throughout  the  flock  they  were  as  much  alike  as  if  they  had 
been  fashioned  from  wood  or  metal,  after  the  same  pattern." 
3.  The  design  of  the  comparison  requires  it,  as  applying  to  the 
teeth,  to  mean  they  were  of  equal  size.  4.  The  idea  of  perfec- 
tion is  intended;  this  is  not  associated  with  sheep  shorn;  their 
being  of  equal  size,  and  coming  up  from  the  washing-pool 
immediately  before  shearing,  represents  them  as  in  all  respects 
perfect. 


o51  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

the  place  of  washing,  they  had  fleeces  in  perfection  of 
growth  as  well  as  whiteness.  The  beauty  of  the 
teeth  is  spoken  of  by  Lucian:  "When  laughing,  she 
showed  her  teeth ;  in  what  way  shall  I  express  how 
white  they  are,  how  symmetrical,  how  perfectly  fitted 
together?  They  are  like  a  very  beautiful  necklace  of 
pearls  glistening  and  of  the  same  size,  thus  ranged  in 
regular  order.  They  received  additional  beauty  from 
the  redness  of  the  lips;  for  they  appeared  between 
them,  like  the  cut  ivory  in  Homer,  not  some  broader, 
some  larger  than  others,  or  separated,  as  is  very  fre- 
quently the  case,  but  with  a  perfect  uniformity  of  all 
in  colour,  size,  and  arrangement."*  This  is  but 
another  mode  of  illustrating  the  same  idea,  which,  to 
a  pastoral  people  like  the  Jews,  was  more  beautifully 
represented  in  the  comparison  in  the  text.  The  illus- 
tration of  this  verse  pours  into  the  mind  a  flood  of 
delightful  ideas,  and  this  goes  a  step  farther  in  show- 
ing the  aggregate  of  pleasing  feelings  had  by  Jesus  in 
contemplating  the  saint. 

Ver.  3. — Thy  lips  are  like  a  thread  of  scarlet,  and  thy 
speech  is  comely. 

The  colour  here  meant  seems  to  be  a  deep  red, 
bright  rich  crimson :  this  was  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"scarlet,"  in  the  time  of  James  I.  The  colour  now 
known  as  such,  was  then  unknown.  According  to 
Wilkinson,  the  colour  was  imparted  to  the  thread 
before  woven  into  the  cloth.  The  force  of  the  com- 
parison here  lies  in  the  colour ;  the  lips  were  delicately 

*  Lucian,  Imagines,  vcr.  vi.  p.  11. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  355 

free  from  undue  thickness,  and  of  the  most  beautiful 
deep  red.  The  Jews  knew  no  more  beautiful  red  than 
the  bright  rich  crimson  here  noticed  as  appearing  in 
a  skein  of  thread  carefully  dyed. 

"Thy  speech,"  or,  as  Ave  should  read,  by  a  common 
figure  of  rhetoric,  thy  'mouth  is  beautiful.'*  While  the 
colour  of  the  lips  is  thus  beautiful,  the  whole  mouth  is 
equally  perfect. 

Thy  temples  are  like  a  piece  of  a  pomegranate  within  thy 
locks. 

This  simile  is  still  common  in  the  East.  Thus,  in 
an  anonymous  Persian  ode,  cited  by  Sir  "William 
Jones,  "The  pomegranate  brings  to  my  mind  the 
blushes  of  my  beloved,  when  her  cheeks  are  coloured 
with  a  modest  resentment."  The  word  temples  is 
used  for  the  upper  part  of  the  cheeks  near  them,  and 
the  design  of  this  passage  is  to  express  the  peculiar 
freshness,  beauty,  and  ruddy  colour  of  the  cheeks. 
Some  would  make  allusion  here  to  the  flower  of  the 
"pomegranate,  rich  with  its  bright  green  leaves,  and 
its  blossoms  of  that  beautiful  and  vivid  red  which 
is  excelled  by  few  even  of  the  most  brilliant  flowers 
of  the  East."  We  suppose  the  reference  is  however 
to  a  piece  of  the  pomegranate,  which  is  about  the  size 
of  an  orange,  and  contains  within  its  hard,  brown 
rind,  a  number  of  cells  divided  by  membraneous  par- 

*  "  Both  ancient  and  modern  writers  of  the  East  agree  in 
describing  the  mouth  with  simplicity,  'Her  mouth  small  and 
vermilion,'  says  the  writer  of  the  Arabian  Nights  Entertain- 
ments. '  Her  lips  are  like  a  thread  of  scarlet,'  says  the  Jewish 
Poet."— Harmer,  289. 


356  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

titions,  in  which  lie  in  rows  the  seeds  or  grains,  pel- 
lucid, tinged  with  red,  and  shining  like  crystal.  When 
cut  up,  or  bursting  and  displaying  its  seeds,  this  fruit 
was  of  the  richest  vermilion.  Hence  the  Portuguese 
poet,  as  quoted  by  Good, 

"  The  pomegranate  of  orange  hue, 
Whose  open  heart  a  brighter  red  displays 
Than  that  which  sparkles  in  the  ruby's  blaze." 

Among  the  ladies  of  Persia  the  hair  is  still  suffered 
to  fall  loosely  over  the  forehead  and  cheeks,  and  is 
generally  perfumed  with  the  most  exquisite  essences. 
An  oriental  poet,  quoted  by  Good,  says,  "  0  thou, 
whose  lips,  which  outshine  the  grains  of  the  pomegra- 
nate, are  embellished,  when  thou  speakest,  by  the 
brightness  of  thy  teeth!"  And  in  the  spirit  of  the 
foregoing  illustrations,  is  the  following:  "  Thy  lips, 
0  thou  most  beautiful  among  women !  are  a  bandhu- 
jiva  flower;  the  lustre  of  the  madhuca  beams  on  thy 
cheek;  thine  eye  outshines  the  blue  lotos;  thy  nose 
is  a  bud  of  the  tila;  the  cunda-blossom  yields  to  thy 
teeth." 

Ver.  4. — Thy  neck  is  like  the  tower  of  David,  buikled 
for  an  armoury,  whereon  there  hang  a  thousand  bucklers,  all 
shields  of  mighty  men. 

This  tower  of  David  was  probably  the  noblest  of 
the  towers  built  by  him,  of  white  marble,  on  a  summit 
of  Zion.  Sandys  says,  "  Aloft  on  the  uttermost  angle 
of  mount  Zion,  stood  the  tower  of  David,  whose  ruins 
are  yet  extant,  of  a  wonderful  strength  and  admirable 
beauty,  adorned  with   shields   and   the  arms  of  the 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  857 

mighty."  Speaking  of  Tyre,  the  prophet  says, 
"They  hang  their  shields  upon  thy  walls  round  about; 
they  have  made  thy  beauty  perfect."  Ezek.  xxvii.  11. 
Thus  Pausanias,  concerning  the  temple  of  Jupiter  at 
Olympia :  "  On  each  corner  of  the  roof  is  placed  a 
gilded  vase,  and  on  the  top  of  the  pediment  a  statue 
of  Victory,  gilded  likewise,  under  which  is  hung  up  a 
golden  shield,  with  a  figure  of  the  gorgon  Medusa 
carved  upon  it.  The  inscription  on  the  shield  imports 
it  to  have  been  a  gift  of  the  Tanagreans  for  a  victory 
gained  over  the  Argives  and  Athenians.  On  the 
cornice,  which  runs  round  the  temple  on  the  outside 
over  the  columns,  are  hung  one  and  twenty  gilt  shields, 
a  present  from  Mummius,  the  Roman  general,  who 
took  and  destroyed  Corinth."  According  to  Layard, 
"The  castles  of  the  maritime  people,  whose  conquest 
is  recorded  by  the  Kouyunjik  bas-reliefs,  are  distin- 
guished by  the  shields  hung  round  the  walls.  Around 
the  sides  of  the  vessels  were  also  suspended  the  shields 
of  the  warriors."*  The  ancients  bestowed  great  care 
on  their  shields,  adorning  them  with  precious  metals 
and  elaborate  engraving,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  de- 
scription of  the  shield  of  Achilles  in  the  Iliad.  "King 
Solomon  made  two  hundred  targets  of  beaten  gold. 
And  he  made  three  hundred  shields  of  beaten  gold ; 
three  pounds  of  gold  went  to  one  shield;  and  the  king 
put  them  in  the  house  of  the  forest  of  Lebanon." 
1  Kings  x.  16.  When  the  text  says,  "  all  shields  of 
mighty  men,"  it  means  simply  all  were  shields  the 
most  costly  and  beautiful.     As  the  Jews  built  their 

*  Layard's  Nineveh,  vol.  ii.  290. 
31 


858  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

nobler  edifices  of  white  marble,  a  tower  of  this  kind 
rising  on  the  summit  of  mount  Zion,  hung  around 
with  shields  of  gold  like  those  of  Solomon,  would  fur- 
nish an  exquisite  simile  for  illustrating  the  beauty  of 
the  graceful  neck  of  the  bride,  adorned  with  the  rich 
ornaments  and  necklace  of  those  bygone  ages.  We 
can  conceive  of  nothing  more  appropriate  and  beauti- 
ful. The  shields  of  the  warriors  associate  with  the 
beauty  of  the  tower  the  recollection  of  the  noble  deeds 
and  triumphs  in  which  those  shields  had  been  borne; 
as  the  pleasure  had  by  Jesus  in  contemplating  his 
saints  is  increased  by  the  remembrance  of  his  suffer- 
ings and  victories  in  working  out  their  salvation. 

Ver.  5. — Thy  two  breasts  are  like  two  young  roes  that 
are  twins,  which  feed  among  the  lilies. 

All  the  monuments  and  pictures  of  ancient  Egypt, 
show  us  that  the  ancient  oriental  ladies  dressed  so 
as  to  leave  the  busts  fully  open  to  view,  and  of  course 
there  could  then  be  no  impropriety  in  alluding  to,  or 
describing  that  part  of  the  person.  It  may  be  added, 
that  this  is  the  custom  of  modern  oriental,*  as  well 
as  of  ancient    oriental   dress.      Lilies   abounded   in 

*  "  The  virgins  wore  their  hair  floating  in  exuberant  curls 
over  their  shoulders :  their  dress  is  indescribable  by  male  lips ; 
all  I  can  say  of  it  is,  that  it  is  very  graceful  and  pretty,  and 
lavishly  open  at  the  bosom." — Warburton. 

Theocritus  puts  the  following  into  the  mouth  of  Grecian  vir- 
gins, on  a  nuptial  occasion: 

"While  we,  descending  to  the  city  gate, 
Arrayed  in  decent  robes  that  sweep  the  ground, 
With  naked  bosoms,  and  with  hair  unbound." 

Idyl.  xv.  134. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  859 

their  pasture-grounds;  and  the  young  twin  roes,  with 
eyes  uncommonly  black  and  large,  creatures  so  ex- 
quisitely beautiful,  that  their  name,  as  here  used, 
signifies  loveliness  in  general,  would  present  a  scene 
of  the  greatest  pastoral  beauty,  while  feeding  in  mea- 
dows overspread  with  those  delightful  flowers.  In 
Proverbs  there  is  a  like  allusion,  "Rejoice  with  the 
wife  of  thy  youth.  Let  her  be  as  the  loving  hind  and 
pleasant  roe;  let  her  breasts  satisfy  thee  at  all  times, 
and  be  thou  ravished  always  with  her  love."  Chap, 
v.  19. 

Now,  in  the  comparisons  of  the  foregoing  verses, 
the  thing  to  be  illustrated  is  the  general  beauty  of  the 
pious  soul  in  the  eyes  of  Jesus.  The  point  around 
which  they  are  all  clustered  is  stated  in  ver.  1,  "  Thou 
art  fair:"  this  is  repeated  in  ver.  7,  "Thou  art  all 
fair."  This  is  the  golden  thread  which  runs  through 
this  part  of  the  allegory,  and  unites  these  poetical 
allusions  in  one  string  of  unearthly  pearls.  Losing 
sight  of  this,  most  commentators  have  marred  the 
passage  by  separating  these  emblems  from  one  ano- 
ther, and  appropriating  them  to  other  uses  than  the 
one  intended  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  What  would  be 
thought  of  a  person  who,  under  the  plea  of  heighten- 
ing the  effect  of  a  beautiful  picture  by  a  great  artist, 
could  cut  out  the  several  figures,  the  trees,  the  waters, 
the  tinted  clouds,  and  exhibit  them  apart  in  every 
imaginable  variety  of  light  and  position  ?  This  would 
show  something  more  than  want  of  judgment.  No 
argument  would  be  necessary  for  making  us  feel  such 
was  never  the  mind  of  the  artist.     The  common  me- 


360  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

thod  of  expounding  this  and  the  other  kindred  pas- 
sages in  the  Song,  seems  no  less  unreasonable.  The 
Apollo  Belvidere  can  be  appreciated,  not  by  breaking 
off  and  examining  severally  an  arm,  a  leg,  or  any  other 
part  detached,  but  by  studying  the  whole,  uninjured 
and  untouched.  These  exquisite  portraitures  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  must  be  viewed  in  the  same  way,  as  they 
are  set  constituting  a  group,  a  whole;  and  the  various 
ideas  of  beauty  radiating  from  them,  must  be  gathered 
into  a  focus  on  the  mind.  How  beautiful  the  scenes, 
how  rich  the  pleasure,  in  contemplating  the  flock  of 
silken-haired  goats  on  beautiful,  verdant  Gilead ;  the 
even-sized,  purely  white,  in  all  points  perfect,  flock  of 
sheep  coming  up  amid  the  beauties  of  early  spring, 
from  groves  beside  the  pure  waters;  the  deep,  rich 
crimson  of  the  scarlet  thread ;  the  vermilion  blush  of 
the  slice  of  pomegranate;  the  tower  of  David,  of 
white  marble,  hung  round  with  costly  shields,  the 
mementos  of  noble  achievements,  rising  in  delicate 
majesty  on  mount  Zion;  the  twin  gazelles  feeding 
among  the  fresh-blown  lilies; — what  a  strong  impres- 
sion of  beauty  is  made  on  the  mind  by  viewing  any 
one  of  those  scenes  at  a  time;  how  overpowering  the 
sense  of  the  beautiful,  could  the  heart  receive  at  the 
same  time  all  the  delightful  impressions  from  these 
different  sources,  combined  in  one  luxurious,  glorious 
flood.  Yet  even  that,  however  overwhelming  and  per- 
haps impossible  for  us,  could  give  but  a  faint  repre- 
sentation of  the  beauty  seen  by  Jesus  in  the  humblest 
of  his  saints,  and  the  pleasure  had  by  him  in  dwelling 
on  their  beauties  of  holiness.    We  are  justified  in  say- 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  UQl 

ing,  that  the  perfection  of  the  nature  of  the  redeemed 
will  be  the  crowning  beauty  of  all  the  works  of  God, 
the  full-blown  flower  of  which  universal  creation  may 
be  called  the  trunk  and  stem.  Surely  the  glorified 
humanity  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  nature  which  is 
taken  into  union  with  the  Godhead,  must  surpass  every 
other  manifestation  of  creative  power.  That  nature, 
when  fully  glorified,  will  differ  infinitely  more  from 
the  same  nature  seen  in  its  germ  in  the  babe  of  Beth- 
lehem, than  the  beauteous  flower  differs  from  the 
humble  seed.  It  is  reasonable,  it  is  right,  that  Jesus 
should  thus  honour  the  nature  taken  into  oneness  with 
his  divinity,  by  making  it  the  highest  possible  develop- 
ment of  created  beauty,  splendour,  and  glory.  But  to 
this  glorified  nature  of  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  the  na- 
ture of  his  redeemed  people  shall  be  made  like.  "  Who 
shall  change  our  vile  body  that  it  may  be  fashioned 
like  unto  his  glorious  body,"  Phil.  iii.  21;  "When 
he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him,"  1  John  iii.  2. 
And  with  him  there  is  no  succession,  all  is  present,  so 
that  he  now  sees  in  his  saints  all  the  glory  which  shall 
ever  invest  them,  and  which  we  may  be  years  or  ages 
in  beholding;  and  thus  contemplating  it,  he  would 
give  us  an  idea  of  his  pleasure  therein  by  such  lan- 
guage as  in  the  text,  by  referring  us  to  our  delight  in 
gazing  on  whatever  is  most  beautiful  in  the  present 
world.  The  rich,  the  great,  the  noble  of  earth,  look 
on  the  humble  believer,  only  as  Dives  looked  on  Laza- 
rus, to  pity  or  despise ;  as  the  Jews  looked  on  him  who 
was  in  their  eyes  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground,  with 
no  form,  nor  comeliness,  nor  beauty,  Isa.  liii.  2;  yet 
31* 


362  COMMENTARY     ON     TIIE 

as  certainly  as  the  human  nature  of  Jesus  has  been 
glorified  and  exalted  far  above  all  principality,  and 
power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that 
is  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which 
is  to  come,  Eph.  i.  21,  so  certainly  shall  these  despised 
ones  of  Jesus  be  glorified  with  him,  and  be  with  him 
where  he  is,  that  they  may  behold  his  glory.  John  xvii. 
24.  Why  should  we  heed  the  censure  or  praise  of 
the  world,  when  we  are  thus  esteemed  by  the  King  of 
kings  ? 

Ver.  6. — Until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee 
away,  I  will  get  me  to  the  mountain  of  myrrh,  and  to 
the  hill  of  frankincense. 

While  in  this  world  preparing  for  the  day  of  our 
espousals,  we  are  not  cut  off  from  communication  with 
Jesus.  He  who  views  us  with  the  delight  set  forth 
in  the  foregoing  verses,  has  appointed  a  place  where 
he  may  always  be  found  by  us  at  present.  That 
place  is  designated  in  this  verse.  For  an  explana- 
tion of  the  first  clause,  see  chap.  ii.  17.  When  pass- 
ing-over Lebanon  and  by  Damascus,  Pompcy  the 
Great  is  said  to  have  passed  through  sweet  smelling 
groves  and  woods  of  frankincense  and  balsam.  "  The 
approach  to  Lebanon  is  adorned  with  olive-planta- 
tions, vineyards,  and  luxuriant  fields;  and  its  lower 
regions,  besides  the  olive  and  the  vine,  are  beautified 
with  the  myrtle,  the  styrax,  and  other  odoriferous 
shrubs;  and  the  perfume  which  exhales  from  these 
plants  is  increased  by  the  fragrance  of  the  cedars 
which  crown  its  summits,  or  garnish  its  declivities. 
The  great  rupture  which  runs  a  long  way  up  into  the 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  363 

mountain,  and  is  on  both  sides  exceedingly  steep  and 
high,  is  clothed  from  the  top  to  the  bottom  with  fra- 
grant evergreens,  and  everywhere  refreshed  with 
streams,  descending  from  the  rocks  in  beautiful  cas- 
cades. The  cedar-apples  growing  on  the  famous 
cedars  must  be  classed  with  the  scented  fruits  of  the 
oriental  regions ;  and  have  perhaps  contributed  greatly 
to  the  fragrance  for  which  the  sacred  writers  so  fre- 
quently celebrate  the  mountains  of  Lebanon."* 

The  mountain  of  frankincense  is  the  place  where 
Jesus  has  established  the  mercy-seat.  Zion,  where 
our  Lord  dwelt  amid  the  Shechinah,  was  a  mountain 
of  incense  gushing  from  the  censer  and  the  golden 
altar;  but  the  place  where  Jesus  now  dwells  by  his 
Spirit  and  meets  with  his  saints,  he  would  represent 
as  fragrant  with  richer  dews,  so  rich  that  here  the 
odours  come  not  from  one  altar  or  censer,  but  from 
groves  crowded  with  trees  of  incense,  every  one  of 
which  is  an  altar,  and  with  flowers  every  one  of  which 
is  a  censer,  pouring  upon  the  dewy  air  unearthly  fra- 
grance. Here,  too,  the  point  of  the  comparison  is  in 
the  pleasing  effect  produced  on  the  soul:  the  person 
who  might  go  up  into  a  hill  of  myrrh  and  frankincense 
at  dewy  eve,  could  not  have  emotions  so  pleasant  as 
those  arising  in  the  heart  drawing  near  unto  the  pre- 
sence of  Jesus  and  the  sacred  atmosphere  spread  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  around  the  throne  of  grace.  Fragrant 
odours  are  a  favourite  emblem  in  the  Scriptures  for 
expressing  the  gracious  influences  of  the  Spirit. 

How  delightful   are   the   spiritual  odours   diffused 

*  Paxton's  Illustrations. 


361  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

around  the  heart  at  the  mercy-seat,  called  a  mountain, 
because  apart  from  the  busy  scenes  of  the  world;  be- 
cause the  appointed  place  of  God's  meeting  with  his 
ancient  people  was  on.  mount  Moriah;  and  because, 
when  Jesus  wished  to  pray,  he  went  apart  into  a 
mountain,  Matt.  xiv.  23;  Luke  ix.  2.  As  we  come  to 
the  mercy-seat  with  our  spiritual  apprehensions  enli- 
vened by  grace,  we  feel  ourselves  entering  an  atmos- 
phere different  from  that  of  the  world,  and  breathing 
an  air  so  pure,  so  rich,  so  calm,  that  it  must  be  a  fore- 
taste of  heaven.  At  times  of  special  manifestations 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  believer  may  sometimes  feel 
as  though  in  an  atmosphere  of  calmness,  purity,  peace, 
and  softened  delight,  around  the  soul,  different  from 
any  thing  of  this  world — something  which  is  to  the 
heart  what  the  air  of  heaven  must  be  to  the  spiritual 
body,  than  which  the  air  of  the  Holy  City  could  hard- 
ly be  more  pure,  refreshing  and  pleasant.  This  is  the 
Holy  Spirit  diffusing  around  us  more  and  more  of  the 
atmosphere  which  the  soul  will  breathe  in  heaven; 
and  at  the  same  time  making  us  feel  how  appropriately 
the  place  where  such  blessedness  is  enjoyed,  is  called 
the  mountain  of  myrrh  and  hill  of  frankincense. 

"  In  the  centre  of  a  world  whose  soil 
Is  rank  with  all  unkindness,  compassed  round 
With  such  memorials,  I  have  sometimes  felt 
It  was  no  momentary  happiness 
To  have  one  Enclosure  where  the  voice  that  speaks 
In  envy  or  detraction  is  not  heard ; 
Which  malice  may  not  enter;  where  the  traces 
Of  evil  inclinations  are  unknown; 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  365 

Where  love  and  pity  tenderly  unite 
With  resignation;  and  no  jarring  tone 
Intrudes,  the  peaceful  concert  to  disturb 
Of  amity  and  gratitude." 

To  this  place  will  Jesus  get  till  the  day  break  and  the 
shadows  flee  away ;  till  Ave  pass  into  the  final  state  of 
glory  where  all  these  former  things  arc  done  away, 
and  there  shall  be  no  night  there.  The  mercy-seat  is 
the  appointed  place  of  meeting  with  him  till  that  time. 
Not  only  will  he  come  to  that  place  occasionally  in 
answer  to  prayer,  as  in  chap.  ii.  17;  he  may  always 
be  found  there.  "Whenever  we  wish  to  meet  with 
Jesus,  we  have  only  to  betake  ourselves  to  the  place 
of  prayer.  After  the  day  breaks,  he  will  be  found  by 
us  in  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  where  we  shall  no  longer 
enjoy  his  society  dimly,  as  in  a  grove  of  frankincense, 
amid  the  shadows  of  night,  but  clearly,  perfectly, 
knowing  even  as  we  are  known.  1  Cor.  xiii.  10. 

Ver.  7. — Thou  art  all  fair,  my  love;  there  is  no  spot  in 
thee. 

This  verse  is  the  first  of  eight  reasons  he  gives  for 
encouraging  us  to  meet  him  on  the  hill  of  frankin- 
cense, at  the  throne  of  grace.  See  chap.  i.  15,  16. 
There,  he  speaks  of  the  saint  as  being  fair  in  his  eyes ; 
here,  as  being  all  fair,  "without  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or 
any  such  thing."  Eph.  v.  27.  How  fair  were  Moses 
and  Elijah  when  on  the  mount  they  appeared  with 
Jesus  in  glory,  being  made  like  him ;  and  his  face  did 
shine  as  the  sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the 
light.  Luke  ix.  29.  Now,  with  Jesus  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  time ;  he  inhabiteth  eternity ;  with  him  there 


CG6  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

is  no  succession,  all  is  present;  and  we  are  in  his  eyes 
attired  with  his  glorious  righteousness  and  luminous 
with  the  splendours  of  his  Spirit;  we  are  viewed  by 
him  precisely  as  we  are  when  our  sanctification  is 
finished. 

How  kind,  therefore,  are  these  words,  and  how  fitted 
for  encouraging  us  to  frequent  the  throne  of  grace. 
They  express  what  is  precisely  the  first  encouragement 
necessary  for  us  in  coming  to  him  in  prayer.  The 
more  fervent  our  love,  and  the  stronger  our  apprehen- 
sion of  his  glory,  the  deeper  is  the  sense  of  our  vile- 
ness,  unworthiness,  and  guilt,  often  so  strong  as  to 
make  us  hesitate,  under  the  impression  that  he  cannot 
receive  such  sinners  as  ourselves.  But  he  cheers  us 
to  come,  assuring  us  that  he  has  blotted  out  all  our 
iniquities ;  that  his  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin ;  that 
he  will  purge  us  with  hyssop,  and  we  shall  be  clean ; 
he  will  wash  us  and  make  us  whiter  than  snow.  Ps. 
li.  7. 

Ver.  8. — Come  with  me  from  Lebanon,  my  spouse,  with 
me  from  Lebauon :  look  from  the  top  of  Amana,  from  the 
top  of  Shenir  and  Hermon,  from  the  lions'  dens,  from  the 
mountains  of  the  leopards. 

Lebanon  is  well  known  as  the  noble  range  on  the 
north  of  the  land  of  promise,  "that  goodly  mountain" 
which  Moses  so  desired  to  visit.  Amana  was  proba- 
bly the  southern  part  of  Anti-Libanus,  and  was  so 
named,  perhaps,  from  the  river  which  had  its  sources 
at  its  foot,  called  in  2  Kings  v.  12,  Abana,  but  in  the 
margin,  Amana.  Shenir  and  Hermon  were  names  for 
the  same  mountain;  Hermon  perhaps  the  name  for 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  367 

the  -whole  mountain;  and  Sirion  the  name  for  the  part 
of  it  belonging  to  the  Sidonians ;  Shenir  for  that  be- 
longing to  the  Amorites.  All  these  lay  in  the  same 
region  in  the  northern  borders  of  Palestine,  and  while 
abounding  in  the  grandest  and  most  attractive  moun- 
tain scenery,  were  infested  with  leopards  and  lions, 
no  less  than  with  robbers,  so  that  they  might  truly  be 
called  "the  mountains  of  prey."  Ps.  lxxvi.  4.  The 
view  from  these  summits  was  extensive  and  unsur- 
passed.* 

Now  these  mountains,  thus  beautiful  but  dangerous, 
are  put  in  contrast  with  the  mountain  of  myrrh  and 
hill  of  frankincense.  The  beloved  would  have  his 
spouse  leave  the  former,  and  seek  his  society  in  the 
retreats  of  the  latter.  The  verse  does  then  give  a 
second  reason  for  dwelling  wjth  Jesus  at  the  mercy- 
seat.  Those  mountains  are  like  the  world,  with  its 
high  places  and  pleasures,  attractive  but  dangerous, 

*  "The  lofty  summits  of  Lebanon  were  the  chosen  haunts  of 
various  boasts  of  prey,  the  print  of  whose  feet  Maundrell  and 
his  party  observed  in  the  snow.  But  they  are  not  confined  to 
these  situations ;  a  recent  traveller  continued  descending  seve- 
ral hours,  through  varied  scenery,  presenting  at  every  turn 
some  new  feature,  distinguished  either  by  its  picturesque  beau- 
ty or  awful  sublimity.  On  arriving  at  one  of  the  lower  swells, 
which  form  the  base  of  the  mountain,  he  and  his  party  broke 
rather  abruptly  into  a  deep  and  thick  forest.  As  they  traversed 
the  bocage,  the  howlings  of  wild  animals  were  distinctly  heard 
from  the  recesses." — Paxton. 

"  We  lodged  this  night  on  the  very  top  of  Libanus.  We  saw 
in  the  snow,  prints  of  the  feet  of  several  wild  beasts,  which  are 
the  sole  proprietors  of  these  parts  of  the  mountains."— Maun- 
drell, 140. 


368  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

beautiful  to  the  eye,  but  filled  with  lurking  places  of 
the  most  stealthy  and  deadly  foes.  "  The  mountain 
of  the  Lord's  house,"  Isa.  ii.  2,  Moriah,  was  more 
glorious  and  excellent,  or,  as  it  may  better  be  read, 
brighter,  more  glorious,  than  the  mountains  of  prey, 
Lebanon,  Amana,  Hermon,  and  Shenir;  because, 
however  rich  the  natural  scenery  of  these  latter,  they 
were  infested  with  beasts  of  prey,  while  the  former 
was  the  place  where  Jehovah  had  in  Salem  his  taber- 
nacle, and  his  dwelling-place  in  Zion;  where  was  the 
word  of  life,  the  emblems  of  heaven,  the  divine  oracle, 
the  cloud  of  glory  overshadowing  the  mercy -seat. 

The  world  is  attractive  and  beautiful,  but  danger- 
ous and  deadly.  Amid  its  specious  scenes  are  lurking 
enemies,  like  the  lion,  powerful,  1  Pet.  v.  8,  and  like 
the  leopard,  stealthy,  Eph.  vi.  11.  In  circumstances 
of  the  greatest  prosperity,  our  adversary,  the  devil, 
with  his  agents,  wicked  men,  "lieth  in  wait,  secretly, 
as  a  lion  in  his  den,  that  they  may  privily  shoot  at 
the  upright  in  heart."  From  all  these  dangers  and 
snares,  the  throne  of  grace  is  a  refuge.  This  is  estab- 
lished, not  among  the  mountains  of  prey,  but  on  the 
hill  of  frankincense,  on  Zion,  where  is  Jehovah's  dwell- 
ing-place amid  the  innumerable  company  of  angels : 
"  No  lion  shall  be  there,  nor  any  ravenous  beast  shall 
go  up  thereon;  it  shall  not  be  found  there;  but  the 
redeemed  shall  walk  there."  Isa.  xxxv.  9.  There,  we 
do  indeed  dwell  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High, 
and  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.  There 
is  no  place  of  safety  on  earth,  save  in  that  sacred  re- 
fuge, under  that  heavenly  shade.     And  while  those 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  369 

who  are  enjoying  the  world  are  continually  in  greater 
danger  than  those  wandering  among  dens  of  ravenous 
beasts ;  they  who  are  in  the  company  of  Jesus  have  not 
only  a  perfect  security  against  every  possible  evil,  but 
are  breathing  an  air  richer  than  frankincense,  and 
enjoying  confidential  friendship  with  the  King  of 
kings.  Well  may  we,  therefore,  say  with  the  Psalm- 
ist, "Because  the  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion,  because  he 
hath  desired  it  for  his  habitation ;  this  is  my  rest  for 
ever,  here  will  I  dwell,  for  I  have  desired  it."  Ps. 
cxxxii.  13. 

Ver.  9. — Thou  hast  ravished  my  heart,  my  sister,  my 
spouse;  thou  hast  ravished  my  heart  with  one  of  thine 
eyes,  with  one  chain  of  thy  neck. 

After  all  the  attempts  to  alter  the  shade  of  mean- 
ing by  another  translation  and  emendation  of  the  text, 
the  common  version  seems  the  best.  The  idea  is,  that 
even  a  partial  glimpse  of  the  beauties  and  ornaments 
of  the  bride,  had  so  filled  the  heart  of  the  beloved 
with  intense  affection,  as  to  unheart,  unman  him ;  and 
the  ardour  of  love  thus  felt,  he  gives  as  another  reason 
for  her  coming  away  to  meet  him  at  the  appointed 
place,  on  the  mountain  of  myrrh.  He  calls  her  "my 
sister,  my  spouse,"  or,  as  it  might  be,  "my  sister- 
spouse."  The  word  sister  is  applied  to  the  wife  in 
Tobit  vii.  4,  16.  Yet,  keeping  in  mind  this  book  is 
an  allegory,  as  stated  in  the  Introduction,  p.  16,  we 
imagine  the  appellation  of  "sister"  is  here  used  for  ex- 
pressing more  perfectly  than  "  spouse  "  alone  would  do, 
the  relation  of  Jesus  and  his  people.  Language  can  at 
best  give  us  only  a  very  imperfect  expression  of  spirit- 
32 


370  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

ual  and  heavenly  things.  Hence  the  necessity  for  mul- 
tiplying types,  illustrations,  and  epithets,  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. So,  while  the  relation  between  Jesus  and  the 
redeemed  soul  may  in  many  respects  be  represented  by 
that  existing  between  husband  and  bride,  it  is  in  some 
essential  points  different;  and  that  difference  may  be 
marked  by  the  relation  of  brother  and  sister,  for  sepa- 
rating therefrom  all  unhallowed  and  carnal  ideas.  The 
union  between  Christ  and  his  people  is  one  combining 
the  purest  and  noblest  characteristics  of  both  the 
unions  just  mentioned,  separated  from  every  thing 
earthly  and  sensual,  having  the  ardour  of  affection  and 
the  oneness  of  the  marriage  relation,  with  the  purity 
and  sacredness  of  a  brother's  and  sister's  love.  This 
is  a  distinction  of  very  great  importance  Tor  under- 
standing rightly  the  Song.  Hence  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
so  careful  to  repeat  the  appellation  "my  sister,"  as 
well  as  spouse.  See  chaps,  iv.  12;  v.  1,  2.  This  re- 
petition has  not  been  made  without  design  by  that 
pen  of  inspiration  which  never  uses  a  superfluous 
word;  and  the  many  pitiable  interpretations  put  by 
excellent  men  on  some  passages,  show  the  necessity 
there  was  for  closing  the  door  against  those  unfor- 
tunate misapprehensions  which  this  single  word  "sis- 
ter" thus  introduced  and  thus  repeated  was  intended 
to  prevent.  The  delicacy  and  emphasis  with  which 
this  is  here  done  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  worthy  of  all 
admiration. 

Like  the  queen  of  Sheba,  of  whom  it  is  recorded 
that  on  seeing  the  glory  of  Solomon  "there  was  no 
more  spirit  in  her,"  1  Kings  x.  5,  the  beloved  says 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  371 

his  heart  was  carried  away  with  one  of  her  eyes,  with 
one  chain  of  her  neck — a  most  delicate  and  forcible 
way  of  expressing  the  very  great  intensity  of  his 
affection.  It  is  not  intimated  that  he  was  not 
acquainted  with  the  full  effect  of  all  her  charms;  he 
seems  to  use  this  language  as  the  best  mode  of  setting 
forth  the  delight  had  in  her  beauty.  The  heart  was 
ravished  by  merely  a  partial  view  of  her  loveliness; 
what  shall  then  be  said  of  the  effect  produced  by  the 
full  disclosure  of  her  beauty!  Oriental  poets  often 
use  the  same  language:  "I  meditate  on  the  ravishing 
glances  darted  from  her  eye."  And  again,  "Bring 
speedily  to  my  presence  her  who  has  stolen  the  heart 
of  Mejnun  with  a  glance."*  Theocritus  speaks  of 
"A  most  bitter  wound  inflicted  on  the  breast  by  the 
dart  of  powerful  Venus."  And  speaking  of  a  beauty, 
Horace  mentions  the  graceful  turn  of  her  neck. 
Wilkinson  says  of  the  Egyptians,  "Handsome  and 
richly  ornamented  necklaces  were  a  principal  part  of 
the  dress  both  of  men  and  women.  They  consisted 
of  gold,  or  of  beads  of  various  qualities  and  shapes, 
disposed  according  to  fancy,  generally  with  a  large 
drop  or  figure  in  the  centre.  Some  wore  simple  gold 
chains,  in  imitation  of  string,  to  which  a  stone 
scarabseus,  set  in  the  same  precious  metal,  was  ap- 
pended. A  set  of  small  cups,  or  covered  saucers,  of 
bronze  gilt,  hanging  from  a  chain  of  the  same  mate- 
rials, were  sometimes  worn  by  women ;  a  necklace  of 
which  has  been  found  belonging  to  a  Theban  lady, 

*  A  Persian  poem  quoted  by  Sir  William  Jones. 


6rZ  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

offering  a  striking  contrast  in  their  simplicity  to  the 
gold  leaves  inlaid  with  lapis  lazuli,  red  and  green 
stones,  of  another  she  wore ;  which  served,  with  many 
more  in  her  possession,  to  excite  the  admiration  of 
her  friends."*  Withdrawing  from  the  spouse  for  the 
mountain  of  myrrh,  the  beloved  has  a  glimpse  of 
her  beautiful  necklace  and  melting  eye,  as  bidding 
him  adieu;  and  then  in  this  verse  assures  her  she 
would  not  fail  to  meet  him  on  the  hill  of  frankincense, 
did  she  know  the  ardour  and  intensity  of  his  love. 
After  the  farewell  spoken,  while  casting  a  longing, 
lingering  look  behind,  he  found  a  single  glance  of  her 
eye  and  view  of  the  golden  chain  of  her  neck  causing 
his  affection  to  burst  forth  afresh,  in  a  vehement 
flame;  from  this  she  might  judge  with  what  delight 
he  would  receive  her  in  the  balmy  retreats  of  their 
appointed  place  of  meeting. 

And  from  this  we  may  understand  with  what  a 
heart-warm  welcome  Jesus  will  gather  us  to  his 
bosom,  when  we  withdraw  to  meet  him  at  the  throne 
of  grace.  In  coming  to  the  mercy- seat  Ave  are  apt  to 
draw  near  rather  with  a  feeling  that  our  Lord  permits 
it,  than  with  the  impression  he  is  deeply  anxious  to 
receive  us,  and  meets  us  with  delight.  Through 
lingering  unbelief,  the  sense  of  unworthiness  makes 
us  think  he  can  hardly  rejoice  to  meet  us.      But, 

*  Ancient  Egyptians,  vol.  ii.  p.  375.  In  the  Hecuba  of 
Euripides,  the  chorus  speak  of  the  daughter  of  Priam,  slain  at 
the  tomb  of  Achilles,  dyed  in  blood  gushing  in  a  dark  stream 
from  her  nock  adorned  with  gold.  And  Homer  mentions 
Amphinniclms  coming,  like  a  girl,  to  the  war,  arrayed  in  gold. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  373 

"Thou  meetest  him  that  rejoiceth  and  worketh  right- 
eousness, those  that  remember  thee  in  thy  ways." 
Isa.  lxiv.  5.  Our  besetting  sin,  the  desire  for  merit, 
makes  us  hesitate.  Jesus  will  love  us  no  better  in 
heaven  than  he  loves  us  now.  Merit  in  us,  personal 
excellence,  has  nothing  to  do  with  his  love.  This 
will  be  no  stronger  towards  us  when  invested  with  the 
spiritual  body  in  glory,  than  it  is  at  present,  amid 
our  infirmities  and  imperfect  sanctification.  The 
spring  and  strength  of  his  affection  is  entirely  apart 
from  us,  and  independent  of  any  thing  like  goodness 
in  ourselves.  His  love  cannot  know  increase  nor 
diminution.  He  cannot  welcome  us  with  any  stronger 
affection  to  heaven,  than  that  with  which  he  now 
welcomes  us  to  the  throne  of  grace.  The  words  of 
this  verse  are  but  another  mode  of  expressing  the 
greatness  of  the  love  of  Christ,  and  his  readiness  to 
receive  us,  as  a  motive  for  our  coming  with  "boldness 
to  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain  mercy 
and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need."  Heb.  iv.  16. 
That  love  is  represented  as  passing  knowledge.  Eph. 
iii.  19.  If  it  passeth  knowledge,  it  must  pass  expres- 
sion; and  therefore  such  language  as  this  must  be 
viewed  as  an  effort  for  conveying,  though  yet  in  a 
very  dim  way,  all  that  can  now  be  known  of  this  glo- 
rious and  incomprehensible  truth.  The  person  whose 
heart  has  been  completely  carried  away  with  the 
loveliness  of  a  loved  one,  cannot  be  so  delighted  to 
welcome  her,  as  Jesus  is  to  welcome  us  to  his  bosom 
in  prayer.  He  would  therefore  have  us  to  leave  the 
attractions  of  this  dangerous  and  ensnaring  world, 
32* 


374  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

for  enjoying  his  society  at  the  mercy-seat;  and  to 
come  not  with  the  hesitancy  of  Esther,  but  'with  the 
feeling  that  he  loves  us  thus  intensely. 

Ver.  10. — How  fair  is  thy  love,  my  sister,  my  spouse ! 
how  much  better  is  thy  love  than  wine !  and  the  smell  of 
thine  ointments  than  all  spices ! 

The  words  give  a  fourth  reason  for  encouraging  us 
to  come  to  Jesus  in  prayer — the  beauty  and  delight- 
fulness  to  him  of  the  graces  of  piety  in  the  believer's 
heart.  Among  these  excellences,  the  first  mentioned 
is  love.  The  reason  of  this  may  be  readily  under- 
stood from  1  Cor.  xiii.  Moral  beauty  is  more  glo- 
rious and  admirable  than  material  beauty.  The  for- 
mer is  the  life,  the  perfection  of  the  latter.  Of 
moral  excellence,  love  is  the  crown.  Love  is  the 
glory  of  the  character  of  God,  the  sum  of  his  perfec- 
tions. Love  in  the  believing  soul  is  the  image  of  the 
love  of  God,  new-forming  there  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Well  might  Jesus  therefore  say,  that  to  him  this  love 
is  beautiful.  This  is  the  beauty  of  all  other  beauties, 
the  reflection  of  his  own  divine  image.  The  gem  is 
none  the  less  beautiful,  none  the  less  valuable,  though 
not  set,  though  in  the  mine;  and  this  love  maybe 
still  in  its  incipient  state  in  the  heart,  imbedded  amid 
the  corruption  of  our  many  infirmities,  not  yet  set  in 
the  spiritual  body,  and  nevertheless  be  beautiful  in 
the  eyes  of  Jesus.  This  love  will  not  be  more  beauti- 
ful hereafter,  even  in  heaven,  than  it  is  now.  It  may 
there  shine  with  greater  brilliancy,  not  with  greater 
attractiveness.  Overwhelmed  with  the  sense  of  unwor- 
thincss,  we  feel  that  in  us,  that  is,  in  our  flesh,  dwell- 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  375 

eth  no  good  thing,  Rom.  vii.  18  ;  and  can  only  say  that 
amid  these  corruptions,  we  see  nothing  of  a  redeem- 
ing character  but  love  to  Christ,  while  even  this  is 
frail  and  inconstant,  borne  down  too  often  by  pre- 
dominating infirmities.  "Lord,  thou  knowest  all 
things  :  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee."  But  on  this 
love,  even  thus  in  its  incipient  state,  Jesus  looks  with 
delight.  This  makes  our  society  pleasant  to  him. 
Even  where  persons  have  no  bodily  beauty,  loveliness 
of  heart  and  manners  will  make  us  forget  even  their 
ugliness,  and  cause  us  to  take  more  pleasure  in  their 
company,  than  we  could  do,  if  they  had  beauty  with- 
out loveliness.  Looking  not  on  the  outward  appear- 
ance, but  on  the  heart,  our  Lord  welcomes  to  his 
presence  and  companionship  all  who  possess  this  love. 
He  says,  "How  much  better  is  this  love  than  wine?" 
that  is,  'None  can  tell  how  much  more  delightful  to 
me  than  the  most  exquisite  enjoyments  of  sense,  is 
this  love  shed  abroad  in  thy  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit.' 
See  chap  i.  2.  Not  only  is  our  love  thus  agreeable  to 
him;  equally  so  are  all  those  graces  which  are  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit.  Gal.  v.  22;  Eph.  v.  9.  How 
much  better  "  the  smell  of  thine  ointments  than  all 
spices!"  See  chap.  i.  3.  It  is  indeed  hard  for  us, 
oppressed  as  the  pious  heart  ever  is  with  the  sense  of 
deep,  deep  unworthiness,  to  realize  that  Jesus  will  re- 
ceive us  with  open  arms  in  prayer.  But  how  can  we 
hesitate  when  he  encourages  us  by  such  representa- 
tions as  that  contained  in  this  verse  ?  The  impres- 
sion produced  on  him  by  these  graces  of  holiness,  is 


376  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

more  grateful  than  to  us  is  the  combined  fragrance  of 
all  spices. 

Ver.  11. — Thy  lips,  0  my  spouse,  drop  as  the  honey- 
comb :  honey  and  milk  are  under  thy  tongue. 

Here  he  would  encourage  us  in  communion  with 
him  by  assuring  us  how  pleasant  to  his  heart  is  our 
language  of  prayer  and  praise.  This  comparison  of 
agreeable  speech  to  honey  is  very  common  in  ancient 
profane  authors,  as  well  as  in  the  Scriptures.  "Plea- 
sant words  are  as  an  honey-comb,  sweet  to  the  soul 
and  health  to  the  bones."  Prov.  xvi.  24;  v.  3.  "How 
sweet  are  thy  words  unto  my  taste !  yea,  sweeter  than 
honey  to  my  mouth."  Ts.  cxix.  103.  "More  to  be 
desired  arc  they  than  gold,  yea,  than  much  fine  gold: 
sweeter  also  than  honey  and  the  honey-comb."  Ps. 
xix.  10.  Hence  Xenophon  was  called  the  Attic  bee; 
and  in  consequence  of  the  beauty  of  the  writings  of 
Plato,  a  swarm  of  bees  was  fabled  to  have  settled  on 
his  lips  when  an  infant.  Speaking  of  his  ode,  Pindar 
says,  towards  its  conclusion, 

"Amid  the  iEolian  blasts  of  flutes, 
This  honey  mixed  with  milk  I  send." 

Thus  Homer  says  of  Nestor, 

"Words  sweeter  from  his  tongue  than  honey  flowed." 

An  oriental  poet  mentions, 

"Those  ruby  lips  whence  honied  sweets  distil." 

And  again,  "  0  grant  me  a  draught  of  honey  from  the 
lotos  of  thy  mouth." 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  377 

Thus  Milton's  description  of  Belial : 

His  tongue 
"Dropped  manna,  and  could  make  the  worse  appear 
The  better  reason." 

While  the  poison  of  asps  is  under  the  lips  of  the  un- 
godly, Rom.  iii.  13,  honey  and  milk  are  under  the 
tongue  of  the  spouse.     So  Theocritus, 

"  More  sweet  her  lips  than  milk  in  luscious  rills, 
Lips,  whence  pure  honey,  as  she  speaks,  distils." 

Nothing  could  express  to  the  ancients  more  strong- 
ly than  such  comparisons,  the  idea  of  speech,  sweet, 
pleasant,  and  captivating.  The  Holy  Spirit  would 
therefore  assure  us  by  this  verse,  that  to  Jesus  no 
language,  not  even  the  highest  praise  of  unfallen 
angels,  is  more  delightful  than  the  words  of  repent- 
ance, faith,  prayer,  and  praise,  offered  at  the  mercy- 
seat  by  the  contrite  heart.  Our  Lord  himself  is 
included  when  it  is  said,  "  Joy  shall  be  in  heaven 
over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more  than  over  ninety 
and  nine  just  persons,  which  need  no  repentance." 
Luke  xv.  7.  See  Song  ii.  14.  He  sees  a  fountain  of 
this  excellent  discourse  under  the  tongue.  Out  of  the 
abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh ;  and  this 
language  of  holiness  from  the  lips  of  the  redeemed 
can  never  fail,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  is  in  the  heart  a 
well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life.  No 
music  is  richer,  none  more  melodious,  none  more 
pleasing,  than  a  chorus  of  infant  voices  in  Jesus' 
praise;  and  we  can  readily  see  with  what  pleasure 
the  hosts  of  heaven,  and  chief  among  them,  our  Lord, 


378  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

must  hearken  to  the  pious  utterances  of  those  who  are 
now  in  this  world,  in  the  infancy  of  their  spiritual 
being  and  eternal  life. 

And  the  smell  of  thy  garments  is  like  the  smell  of 
Lebanon. 

That  is,  '  Come  without  hesitation  to  meet  me  in 
prayer,  because  thou  mayest  be  assured,  that  nothing, 
not  even  the  fragrance  of  Lebanon,  can  be  more 
grateful  to  the  human  senses  than  is  thy  presence  to 
me.'  See  ver.  6.  Musseus  speaks  of  "the  heights  of 
odorous  Lebanon."  Lebanon  abounded  in  odorifer- 
ous trees  of  various  kinds,  from  which  fragrant  gums 
were  extracted,  especially  frankincense.  Maundrell 
says,  "It  is  clothed  in  fragrant  greens  from  top  to 
bottom."  Its  wine  had  a  peculiar  fragrance:  "The 
scent  thereof  shall  be  as  the  wine  of  Lebanon."  Hos. 
xiv.  7.  On  account  of  its  fragrance,  the  wood  of  the 
cedars  of  Lebanon  was  used  for  making  precious 
pieces  of  furniture,  especially  chests  for  keeping  rich 
garments.  Odoriferous  garments  are  thus  mentioned 
in  the  Odyssey,  lib.  xxi.  52;  and  Calypso  gave  such 
to  Ulysses,  lib.  v.  264.  Speaking  of  an  individual, 
Moschus  says, 

"Whose  heavenly  fragrance  e'en  afar  exceeds 
The  odours  breathing  from  the  flowery  meads." 

Hence  the  Psalmist,  "All  thy  garments  smell  of 
myrrh,  aloes,  and  cassia,  out  of  the  ivory  palaces." 
And  the  patriarch  "smelled  the  smell  of  his  raiment, 
and  blessed  him,  and  said,  See,  the  smell  of  my  son 
is   as   the   smell   of    a   field  which   the   Lord   hath 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  379 

blessed."*     As  in  chap.  i.  3,  the  perfume  expressed 
the  loveliness  of  Jesus  and  the  pleasantness  of  his 

*  The  orientals  endeavour  to  perfume  their  clothes  in  vari- 
ous ways.  They  sprinkle  them  -with  sweet  scented  oils, 
extracted  from  spices,  they  fumigate  them  with  the  most 
valuable  incense  or  scented  wood,  and  also  sew  the  wood  of 
the  aloe  in  their  clothes.  They  are  universally  fond  of  having 
their  garments  strongly  perfumed;  so  much  so,  that  Europeans 
can  scarcely  bear  the  smell.  The  persons  of  the  Assyrian 
ladies  are  elegantly  clothed,  and  scented  with  the  richest  oils 
and  perfumes ;  and  the  Jewish  females  did  not  yield  to  them 
in  the  elegance  of  their  dress,  the  beauty  of  their  ornament, 
and  the  fragrance  of  their  essences.  Such  is  Virgil's  account 
of  Venus: 

"Thus,  as  she  turned  away,  with  roseate  hue 
Her  neck  shone  beauteous;  and  her  locks  bedewed 
With  perfume  of  ambrosia,  richly  breathed 
Odours  divine ;  graceful  her  flowing  robe ; 
And  in  her  gait  the  goddess  true  appeared." 

—JEneid,  i.  403. 
"With  this  portraiture  of  the  bride  in  the  Song,  we  may  com- 
pare Homer's  description  of  Juno : 

"Self-closed,  behind  her  shut  the  doors  of  gold. 
Here  first  she  bathes ;  and  round  her  body  pours 
Soft  oils  of  fragrance,  and  ambrosial  showers : 
The  winds  perfumed,  the  balmy  gale  convey 
Thro'  heaven,  thro'  earth,  and  all  the  aerial  way : 
Thus,  while  she  breathed  of  heaven,  with  decent  pride 
Her  artful  hands  the  radiant  tresses  tied: 
Part  on  her  head  in  shining  ringlets  roll'd, 
Part  o'er  her  shoulders  waved  like  melted  gold. 
Around  her,  next,  a  heavenly  mantle  flow'd, 
That  rich  with  Pallas'  labour'd  colours  glow'd : 
Large  clasps  of  gold  the  foldings  gather'd  round, 
A  golden  zone  her  swelling  bosom  bound. 
Par-beaming  pendants  tremble  in  her  ear, 


380  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

society  to  us ;  in  this  verse  the  fragrance  of  Lebanon, 
than  which  they  knew  nothing  of  the  kind  having 
greater  richness,  freshness,  and  excellence,  sets  forth 
the  very  great  agreeableness  of  the  humble-hearted 
saint  to  our  blessed  Lord.  How  can  we  hesitate  in 
prayer,  when  Jesus  takes  as  much  delight  in  our 
society  as  ever  Jew  could  take  in  the  dewy  fragrance 
of  Lebanon ! 

How  animating  are  the  motives  thus  set  forth  for 
encouraging  us  to  dwell  at  the  throne  of  grace  and  to 
persevere  in  prayer !  They  are  touching  and  tender 
in  the  extreme.  Urging  us  to  arise  and  come  away 
from  earth,  by  the  greatness  of  his  affection,  as  illus- 
trated in  chap.  iv.  1 — 5,  he  instructs  us  that  in  the 
meanwhile,  before  the  dawning  of  glory,  we  may  find 
him  by  prayer  on  the  hill  of  frankincense,  and  en- 
courages us  to  meet  him  there  as  often  as  possible ; 
because,  though  unworthy  in  our  own  eyes,  he  sees  in 
us,  as  attired  in  his  righteousness,  no  spot,  nothing 
but  beauty ;  because  this  is  the  only  place  of  safety 
amid  the  dangers  and  enemies  of  the  world;  because 
his  heart  is  enraptured  with  affection  for  us ;  because 
our  love,  with  its  attending  graces,  is  more  beautiful 
to  his  contemplation  than  we  can  now  conceive;  be- 

Each  gem  illumined  with  a  triple  star. 

Then  o'er  her  head  she  casts  a  veil  more  white 

Than  new  fall'n  snow,  and  dazzling  as  the  light. 

Last,  her  fair  feet  celestial  sandals  grace. 

Thus  issuing  radiant,  with  majestic  pace, 

Forth  from  the  dome  th'  imperial  goddess  moves." 

— Iliad,  xiv.  108. 


BONO    OP    SOLOMON.  381 

cause  our  language,  in  contrition,  prayer,  and  praise, 
is  his  greatest  delight;  because  our  presence  alto- 
gether is  more  agreeable  to  him,  than  to  our  senses 
such  fragrance  as  was  -wafted  from  Lebanon.  0  what 
a  welcome  does  then  ever  await  us  at  the  mercy-seat ! 

Ver.  12. — A  garden  inclosed  is  my  sister,  my  spouse; 
a  spring  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed. 

As  a  seventh  reason  for  encouraging  us  to  meet 
him  at  the  throne  of  grace,  he  states  that  his  delights 
in  the  soul  of  the  believer  is  as  great  as  what  is  felt 
by  us  in  enjoying  the  most  beautiful  garden.  Ver. 
12 — 15.  See  notes,  chap.  viii.  13.  Thus  Isaiah  says, 
"Ye  shall  be  as  a  garden  that  hath  no  water," 
Isa.  i.  30;  and  again,  "Thou  shalt  be  like  a  watered 
garden ;  and  like  a  spring  of  water,  whose  waters  fail 
not."  Isa.  Iviii.  11.  So  Jeremiah — "Their  soul  shall 
be  as  a  watered  garden."  Jer.  xxxi.  12.*  In  Keats' 
Ode  to  Psyche,  the  spirit  of  the  same  illustration  is 
adopted : 

"Yes,  I  will  be  thy  priest,  and  build  a  fane 

In  some  untrodden  region  of  my  mind, 
Where  branched  thoughts,  new-grown  with  pleasant  pain, 

Instead  of  pines  shall  murmur  in  the  wind : 
Far,  far  around  shall  those  dark-cluster'd  trees 

Fledge  the  wild-ridged  mountains  steep  by  steep ; 

*  "When  a  man  dwells  in  love,  the  eyes  of  his  wife  are  as 
fair  as  the  light  of  heaven,  she  is  a  fountain  sealed,  and  he  can 
quench  his  thirst,  and  ease  his  cares,  and  lay  his  sorrow  down 
upon  her  lap,  and  can  retire  home  as  to  his  sanctuary  and 
refectory,  and  his  gardens  of  sweetness  and  chaste  refresh- 
ments."— Jeremy  Taylor's  Sermons  on  UjjJi.  v.  32,  33. 
33 


382  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

And  there  by  zephyrs,  streams,  and  birds,  and  bees, 

The  moss-lain  Dryads  shall  be  lull'd  to  sleep ; 
And  in  the  midst  of  this  wide  quietness 
A  rosy  sanctuary  will  I  dress 
With  the  wreathed  trellis  of  a  working  brain, 

With  buds,  and  bells,  and  stars  without  a  name, 
With  all  the  gardener  Fancy  e'er  could  feign, 

Who  breeding  flowers,  will  never  breed  the  same: 
And  there  shall  be  for  thee  all  soft  delight 

That  shadowy  thought  can  win, 
A  bright  torch,  and  a  casement  ope  at  night 

To  let  the  true  love  in." 

President  Edwards  says,  "  Holiness,  as  I  then  wrote 
down  some  of  my  contemplations  on  it,  appeared  to 
me  to  be  of  a  sweet,  pleasant,  charming,  serene, 
calm  nature;  which  brought  an  inexpressible  purity, 
brightness,  peacefulness,  and  ravishment  to  the  soul. 
In  other  words,  that  it  made  the  soul  like  a  field  or 
garden  of  God,  with  all  manner  of  pleasant  flowers; 
all  pleasant,  delightful  and  undisturbed,  enjoying  a 
sweet  calm,  and  the  gentle,  vivifying  beams  of  the 
sun."  Speaking  of  the  church  as  a  vine,  the  Psalm- 
ist says,  "Why  hast  thou  broken  down  her  hedges, 
so  that  all  they  which  pass  by  the  way  do  pluck  her?" 
In  this  passage,  chaps,  iv.  12 — v.  1,  there  are  four 
points  brought  out  to  view.  1.  The  holiness  of  the 
pious  heart  as  set  apart  for  God,  ver.  12.  2.  The 
heart  thus  hedged  around  by  grace  is  occupied  with 
the  precious,  odoriferous  virtues  of  holiness,  ver. 
13 — 14,  and  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  within  the 
soul  as  a  fountain  of  water,  John  iv.  14 — vii.  38,  and 
whose  influences  are  the  very  life  and  nourishment  of 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  383 

these  pious  graces.  Ver.  15.  3.  The  desire  of  the 
believer  that  his  soul  may  be  in  readiness  for  the 
coming  into  our  hearts  of  the  beloved,  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  breathing  on  our  graces  and  bringing  out  their 
fragrance.  Ver.  16.  4.  The  consequence  of  this 
prayer — Jesus  comes  to  dwell  with  us.  Chap.  v.  1. 
When  keeping  the  soul  thus  guarded  from  the  world, 
and  against  every  one  but  Jesus,  we  enjoy  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Spirit,  and  desire  his  operations  in 
greater  fulness — how  great  is  our  encouragement  to 
prayer,  in  the  assurance  that  even  while  we  are  yet 
asking,  our  Lord  will  come  down  into  our  souls,  and 
take  as  much  delight  in  our  enlivened  graces,  as 
the  beloved  took  in  gathering  the  spices  of  the  gar- 
den, and  eating  its  precious  fruits. 

The  Jewish  gardens  were  generally  hedged  or  wall- 
ed, as  indeed  Josephus  expressly  states  respecting  the 
gardens  near  Jerusalem.*  The  idea  set  forth  in  these 
words,  is  the  same  with  that  in  Ps.  iv.  3 — "Know 
that  the  Lord  hath  set  apart  him  that  is  godly  for 
himself."  Hence  the  acknowledgment  made  by  Satan 
concerning  Job:  "Hast  thou  not  made  an  hedge 
about  him,  and  about  his  house,  and  about  all  that 
he  hath  on  every  side."     The  seclusion  of  the   soul 

*  Speaking  of  a  garden  represented  in  the  tombs  of  Thebes 
and  other  parts  of  Egypt,  Wilkinson  says,  "The  one  here  in- 
troduced is  shown  to  have  been  surrounded  by  an  embattled 
wall,  with  a  canal  of  water  passing  in  front  of  it,  connected 
with  the  river.  The  small  kiosks,  or  summer-houses,  shaded 
with  trees,  stood  near  the  water,  and  overlooked  beds  of  flow- 
ers."—Vol.  ii.  144. 


384  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

from  the  intrusion  of  the  evil  passions  and  evil  spirits 
overrunning  it  in  a  state  of  nature,  and  the  hedging 
of  it  around  with  the  habits  formed  by  Christian  dis- 
cipline, so  that  the  virtues  of  piety  may  be  undisturbed 
in  their  growth,  is  what  the  Scriptures  really  mean  by 
sanctification.  To  sanctify,  is  to  set  apart  from  a 
common  to  a  sacred  use.  In  the  East,  wives  are 
secluded  with  the  greatest  care  from  public  gaze,  for 
the  company  of  their  lords ;  and  so  far  from  looking 
on  this  restraint  with  disfavour,  they  seem  to  esti- 
mate the  degree  of  their  husband's  affection  by  the 
watchfulness  with  which  they  are  guarded.  The  most 
flattering  epithet  that  can  be  applied  to  an  eastern 
lady,  is  that  of  "the  concealed  treasure,"  "the 
guarded  jewel,"  "the  well-watched  angel."  The 
words,  "a  spring  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed,"  are  a 
repetition  of  the  idea  in  the  foregoing  part  of  the 
verse,  expressing  the  sentiments  of  holy  seclusion  for 
Jesus,  even  more  beautifully  than  does  the  garden 
enclosed.  Sir  John  Chardin  says,  he  has  known 
springs  locked  up  in  divers  parts  of  Asia  on  account 
of  the  scarcity  of  water.  Among  the  Persians  were 
fountains  of  which  only  the  king  and  his  eldest  son 
might  drink.  Thus,  says  the  Apostle,  "Ye  are 
Christ's."  1  Cor.  iii.  23.  No  one  has  a  right  to  our 
affections  but  Jesus.  How  entirely  is  the  life  of  the 
Christian  a  hidden  life;  "hid  with  Christ  in  God;" 
hid  from  the  world,  as  a  spring  shut  up,  so  that  they 
can  neither  see  fully  its  excellence,  nor  reach  it  in 
such  a  way  as  to  disturb  or  break  it  up  at  its  source. 
The  holy  soul  is  a  fountain  of  pious  affections,  shut 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  385 

up  from  the  world,  for  the  delight  of  him  who  has 
redeemed  us  with  his  blood,  and  sealed  us  with  his 
Holy  Spirit.  The  Spirit  is  the  seal  of  the  King  of 
kings,  set  upon  those  spiritual  fountains,  holy  hearts, 
in  this  wilderness,  which  are  thereby  shown  to  belong, 
not  to  the  world,  but  to  himself.  The  idea  of  holi- 
ness, as  separation  from  earth  and  all  things  sinful, 
and  as  consecration  to  God,  cannot  be  more  neatly 
expressed,  than  by  a  garden  hedged,  a  spring  en- 
closed and  sealed.  Jesus  will  take  delight  in  our 
society  and  welcome  us  to  the  throne  of  grace,  accord- 
ing to  the  care  with  which  our  soul  excludes  all  other 
affections,  for  the  enjoyment  of  his  love.  This  verse 
shows  what  the  true  saint  is,  or  should  be;  and  in  its 
connection  teaches  that  if  we  would  enjoy  the  pre- 
sence of  Jesus  in  the  heart,  we  must  watch  against 
the  intrusion  of  sin.  "Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart, 
for  they  shall  see  God."  "If  I  regard  iniquity  in 
my  heart,  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me."  "Keep  thy 
heart  with  all  diligence,  for  out  of  it  are  the  issues  of 
life."  Jesus  takes  delight  in  dwelling  only  in  the 
soul  that  is  a  garden  barred  or  hedged,  a  spring 
bolted,  a  fountain  sealed.  The  same  truth  is  ex- 
pressed with  even  more  strictness  in  the  words, 
"Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?"  1  Cor. 
iii.  16.  Holiness  requires  that  the  soul  be  as  exclu- 
sively devoted  to  God  as  the  enclosed  garden,  or 
bolted  spring,  to  its  lord;  or  the  temple,  to  him  who 
dwelt  between  the  cherubim.  Over  the  door  of  the 
heart  bolted  against  every  one  but  Jesus,  is  written, 
33* 


886  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

"Holiness  to  the  Lord."  The  dream  of  the  heathen, 
that  each  fountain  had  its  divinity  residing  in  it,  is 
here  realized.  The  Holy  Spirit  dwells  in  this  foun- 
tain of  the  pious  soul,  and  he  is  its  guardian  divinity. 

Ver.  13,  14. — Thy  plants  are  an  orchard  of  pomegran- 
ates, with  pleasant  fruits;  caniphire,  with  spikenard;  spike- 
nard and  saffron;  calamus  and  cinnamon,  with  all  trees  of 
frankincense;  myrrh  and  aloes,  with  all  the  chief  spices. 

The  three  following  verses  give  that  with  which 
this  garden  is  occupied.  The  word  rendered  "thy 
plants"  means  not  merely  shoots  and  flowers,  but  any 
thing  issuing,  or  springing,  or  sent  out  from  another ; 
and  therefore  includes  every  thing  which  is  a  product 
of  the  garden,  or  belonging  thereto — the  well  of  living 
waters  with  its  streams,  no  less  than  the  spikenard 
and  all  the  chief  spices.  We  understand  the  word 
"plants"  to  include  all  the  things  that  follow  to  the 
end  of  ver.  15.  The  word  "orchard"  corresponds 
exactly  to  our  word  "paradise,"  and  is  of  oriental 
origin,  signifying  the  pleasure-gardens  and  parks, 
some  with,  others  without,  wild  animals,  around  the 
residence  of  the  Persian  monarchs,  planted  with  state- 
ly forest-trees  and  fruit-trees  of  every  kind,  well  wa- 
tered, and  surrounded  with  a  wall.*     As  mentioned 

*  "Behind  these  were  the  royal  gardens,  laid  out  in  the 
most  exquisite  taste,  and  decorated  with  all  that  could  gratify 
the  eye,  regale  the  ear,  or  satiate  the  most  luxurious  palate ; 
the  loveliest  shade,  the  deepest  verdure,  grottoes  of  the  most 
refreshing  coolness,  fruits  of  the  most  delicious  flavour ;  cas- 
cades that  never  ceased  to  murmur,  and  music  that  never  failed 
to  delight." — Maurice's  Indian  Antiquities,  i.  209. 


SONG     OP    SOLOMON.  387 

by  Xenophon,  there  was  one  of  these  belonging  to 
Cyrus  the  younger,  at  Celoense  in  Phrygia,  through 
the  middle  of  which  ran  the  river  Mseander.  This  in 
the  text  is  mentioned  as  such  a  park  or  pleasure- 
ground,  without  the  wild  animals;  and  filled  with 
trees  and  shrubbery,  with  the  most  beautiful  flow- 
ers, the  most  delightful  fruits,  and  the  richest  fra- 
grance. 

The  pomegranate,  still  common  in  Syria  and  Per- 
sia, is  considered  delicious  by  travellers,  and  is  highly 
prized.  The  bright  and  dark-green  foliage  of  the 
pomegranate,  and  its  flowers  of  a  crimson  colour, 
made 'it  an  object  of  desire  in  these  gardens;  while 
its  large  reddish-coloured  fruit,  filled  with  numerous 
seeds,  each  surrounded  with  juicy,  pleasant-tasted 
pulp,  would  make  it  valuable  as  a  fruit,  in  warm 
countries.  See  chap.  iv.  3.  With  the  pomegran- 
ate, thus  mentioned  for  its  beauty  and  sweetness,  this 
garden  has  the  most  precious  fruits  in  general.  Be- 
sides, there  are  all  the  choice  aromatic  trees  and 
shrubs — camphire  and  spikenard,  spikenard  and  saf- 
fron; calamus  and  cinnamon,  with  trees  of  frankin- 
cense; myrrh  and  aloes,  with  all  the  chief  spices. 
See  chap.  i.  12,  14.  Earth  can  show  nothing  to 
man,  more  beautiful  to  the  eye,  no  fruits  more  pre- 
cious, no  fragrance  more  delightful,  than  those  com- 
bined in  this  paradise — a  fitting  representation  of  the 
graces  of  holiness  centring  in  the  believing  heart,  and 
making  it  a  retreat  where  Jesus  our  Saviour  loves  to 
make  his  abode. 


888  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

Ver.  15. — A  fountain  of  gardens,  a  well  of  living  waters, 
and  streams  from  Lebanon. 

In  ver.  12  the  "spring  shut  up"  seems  mentioned, 
like  the  "garden  enclosed,"  for  illustrating  the  idea 
of  the  holiness  of  the  believer,  or  his  separation  and 
consecration  to  God ;  and  to  be  entirely  independent 
of  the  idea  intended  in  this  verse.  Here  is  mentioned 
the  source  whence  is  derived  the  life  and  fragrance  of 
the  fruits  and  shrubbery  of  this  garden.  A  fountain 
of  gardens  means  a  very  copious  fountain,  sufficient 
for  watering  many  gardens.  This  fountain  was  the 
best  possible.  Instead  of  a  reservoir  filled  with  rain 
water,  as  was  often  used,  this  pleasure-ground  was 
enriched  with  a  well  or  spring  of  running  water, 
combining  therewith  streams,  cool,  refreshing,  and 
fertilizing,  as  those  coming  from  Lebanon.  These 
make  the  gardens  of  Damascus  so  enchanting.  Their 
refreshing  coolness  is  mentioned  by  the  prophet: 
"  Will  a  man  leave  the  snow  of  Lebanon,  which  coin- 
eth  from  the  rock  of  the  field  ?"  Jer.  xviii.  14. 
Maundrell  says,  "  There  is  a  very  deep  rupture  in 
the  side  of  Libanus,  running  at  least  seven  hours' 
travel  directly  up  into  the  mountain.  It  is  on  both 
sides  exceedingly  steep  and  high,  clothed  with  fra- 
grant greens  from  top  to  bottom,  and  everywhere 
refreshed  with  fountains  falling  down  from  the  rocks 
in  pleasant  cascades.  The  streams  all  uniting  at  the 
bottom,  make  a  full  and  rapid  torrent,  whose  agree- 
able murmur  is  heard  over  the  place,  and  adds  no 
small  pleasure  to  it."  Says  another  traveller,  "We 
came  into  pleasant  groves,  by  delightful  rivulets  that 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  389 

arose  from  springs,  that  made  so  sweet  a  noise  as  to 
be  admired  by  king  Solomon."  We  cannot  see  that 
any  light  is  thrown  on  the  real  significance  of  this 
passage  by  a  detailed  description  of  "The  pools  of 
Solomon,"  about  six  miles  from  Jerusalem,  on  the 
rout  to  Hebron.*    This  valley  containing  these  pools, 

*  The  following  is  from  Maundrell:  "This  morning  we 
went  to  see  some  remarkable  places  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Bethlehem.  The  first  place  that  we  directed  our  course  to, 
was  those  famous  fountains,  pools,  and  gardens,  about  an  hour 
and  a  quarter  distant  from  Bethlehem,  southward,  said  to  have 
been  the  contrivance  and  delight  of  king  Solomon.  To  these 
works  and  places  of  pleasure,  that  great  prince  is  supposed  to 
allude,  Eccl.  ii.  5,  6,  where,  among  the  other  instances  of  his 
magnificence,  he  reckons  up  his  gardens,  and  vineyards,  and 
pools.  As  for  the  pools,  they  are  three  in  number,  lying  in 
a  row  above  each  other,  being  so  disposed  that  the  waters  of 
the  uppermost  may  descend  into  the  second,  and  those  of  the 
second  into  the  third.  Their  figure  is  quadrangular;  the 
breadth  is  the  same  in  all,  amounting  to  about  ninety  paces ; 
in  their  length  there  is  some  difference  between  them,  the  first 
being  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  paces  long,  the  second  two 
hundred,  the  third  two  hundred  and  twenty.  They  are  all 
lined  with  wall,  and  plastered,  and  contain  a  great  depth  of 
water.  Close  by  the  pools  is  a  pleasant  castle  of  modern 
structure ;  and  at  about  the  distance  of  one  hundred  and  forty 
paces  from  them  them  is  a  fountain,  from  which,  principally, 
they  derive  their  waters.  This  the  friars  will  have  to  be  that 
sealed  fountain,  to  which  the  holy  spouse  is  compared,  Cant. 
iv.  12,  and,  in  confirmation  of  this  opinion,  they  pretend  a 
tradition,  that  king  Solomon  shut  up  these  springs,  and  kept 
the  door  of  them  sealed  with  his  signet,  to  the  end  that  he 
might  preserve  the  waters  for  his  own  drinking,  in  their  natu 
ral  freshness  and  purity.  Nor  was  it  difficult  thus  to  secure 
them,  they  rising  under  ground,  and  having  no  avenue  to 


890  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

supposed  the  one  referred  to  by  Josephus,  and  men- 
tioned by  Maundrell,  Hasselquist,  and  others,  may  be 
the  site  of  the  grounds  described  in  the  text,  and  has 
indeed  got  from  Latin  travellers  the  name  of  JHortus 
Co?iclusus.  A  modern,  speaking  of  a  monastery  in 
the  Levant,  says,  "  There  below  my  feet  lay  the  con- 
vent garden,  in  all  the  fresh  luxuriance  of  tropical 
vegetation.     Tufts  upon  tufts  of  waving  palms  over- 

them  but  by  a  little  hole,  like  to  the  mouth  of  a  narrow  well. 
Through  this  hole  you  descend  directly  down,  but  not  with- 
out some  difficulty,  for  about  four  yards,  and  then  arrive  in 
a  vaulted  room,  fifteen  paces  long,  and  eight  broad.     Join- 
ing to  this  is  another  room,  of  the  same  fashion,  but  somewhat 
less.     Both  these   rooms   are  covered  with   handsome  stone 
arches,  very  ancient,  and  perhaps  the  work  of  Solomon  him- 
self.    Below  the  pool  here  runs  down  a  narrow  rocky  valley, 
enclosed  on  both  sides  with  high  mountains.     This  the  friars 
will  have  to  be  the  enclosed  garden  alluded  to  in  the  same 
place  of  the  Canticles  before  cited.     What  truth  there  may  be 
in  this  conjecture,  I  cannot  absolutely  pronounce.     As  to  the 
pools,  it  is  probable  enough  that  they  may  be  the  same  with 
Solomon's ;  there  not  being  the  like  store  of  excellent  spring- 
water  to  be  met  with  anywhere  else  throughout  all  Palestine/' 
Hasselquist  thinks  this  might  possibly  be  the  garden  noticed 
in  the   text.     Mariti   says,  "Nature   has    still   preserved  its 
original  fertility  in  this  valley.    Although  but  little  cultivated, 
the  soil  still  produces  a  tolerable  supply  of  cotton  and  various 
kinds  of  grain ;  there  are  also  fine  plantations  of  fruit  trees, 
affording  the  most  juicy  fruits  in  the  country.    Various  flowers, 
and  many  fragrant  plants,  grow  there  naturally  at  all  seasons, 
among  which  are  thyme,  rosemary,  marjoram,  salvius,  persil, 
rue,  ranunculuses,  and  anemones."     Here  may  be  found  vari- 
ous rare  plants  not  to  be  found  elsewhere  in  Palestine,  and 
which,  as  an  old  traveller  suggests,  may  have  been  propaga- 
ted from   exotic  plants  which  Solomon  introduced  into  his 
gardens. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  391 

shadowed  the  immense  succulent  leaves  of  the  banana, 
which  in  their  turn  rose  out  of  thickets  of  the  pome- 
granate, with  its  bright  green  leaves  and  its  blossoms 
of  that  beautiful  and  vivid  red  which  is  excelled  by 
few  even  of  the  most  brilliant  flowers  of  the  East. 
These  were  contrasted  with  the  deep  green  of  the 
caroub  or  locust-tree;  and  the  yellow  apples  of  the 
lotus  vied  with  the  clusters  of  green  limes  with  their 
sweet  white  flowers.  Fair  branches  and  flowers,  ex- 
haling rich  perfume  and  bearing  freshness  in  their 
very  aspect,  become  more  beautiful  from  their  con- 
trast to  the  dreary  plains  outside  the  convent  walls; 
and  this  great  difference  was  owing  solely  to  there 
being  a  well  of  water  in  this  spot,  from  which  were 
constantly  drawn  the  fertilizing  streams  which  nour- 
ished the  teeming  vegetation  of  this  garden." 

More  beautiful  was  this  spring  than  that  classic 
fountain  whose  green,  wild  margin,  with  dew-sprinkled 
mosses,  grows  undisturbed : 

"Nor  must  the  delicate  waters  sleep 

Prison'd  in  marble,  bubbling  from  the  base 
Of  the  cleft  statue,  with  a  gentle  leap 
The  rill  runs  o'er,  and  round  fern,  flowers,  and  ivy  creep 
Fantastically  tangled :  the  green  hills 
Are  clothed  with  early  blossoms,  through  the  grass 

The  silvery  zephyr  rustles,  and  the  bills 
Of  summer  birds  sing  welcome  as  ye  pass ; 

Flow'rs  fresh  in  hue,  and  many  in  their  class, 
Implore  the  pausing  step,  and  with  their  dyes 

Dance  in  the  soft  breeze  in  a  fairy  mass ; 
The  sweetness  of  the  violets'  deep  blue  eyes 
Kiss'd  by  the  breath  of  heaven,  seems  colour'd  by  its  skies."* 

*  Childe  Harold,  iv.  110. 


892  COMMENTARY     ON    TIIE 

This  comparison  is  applied  to  the  soul  by  Jesus  him- 
self: "The  water  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  be  in 
him  a  well  of  water  springing  up  into  everlasting 
life."  John  iv.  14.  "This  spake  he  of  the  Spirit, 
which  they  that  believe  on  him  should  receive."  John 
vii.  39.  The  fountain  was  the  life  of  the  garden ; 
without  this  there  could  be  no  verdure,  no  growth,  no 
flowers,  no  fragrance,  no  fruits,  no  refreshing  shade. 
Trees  not  planted  by  these  streams  of  water,  had 
their  leaf  to  wither,  and  brought  forth  no  fruit.  Ps. 
i.  3.  Nothing  could  atone  for  the  want  of  such  a 
stream.  Even  so  it  is  with  the  heart.  The  Holy 
Spirit  is  everything  to  our  desolate  and  sinful  souls. 
He  is  "as  rivers  of  water  in  a  dry  place."  Without 
his  influences  there  can  be  no  spiritual  life,  no  fra- 
grance of  piety,  no  fruits  of  holiness.  When  his  influ- 
ences overflow  from  this  hallowed  fountain  in  the 
heart,  every  pious  virtue  thrives,  this  wilderness  and 
solitary  place  is  glad,  and  rejoices,  and  blossoms  as 
the  rose;  and  each  grace  of  holiness  becomes  "as  a 
tree  planted  by  the  waters,  and  spreadeth  out  her 
roots  by  the  rivulet,  and  shall  not  see  when  heat  com- 
eth;  but  her  leaf  shall  be  green,  and  shall  not  be 
careful  in  the  year  of  drought,  neither  shall  cease 
from  yielding  fruit."  Jer.  xvii.  8.  The  Holy  Spirit 
being  thus  the  hidden  spring  of  the  life  of  holiness, 
Christian  activity  is  as  necessary  for  developing  this 
life  as  exercise  is  for  the  growth  of  a  child.  Life 
and  activity  are  inseparable.  He  who  has  enjoyed 
the  Spirit,  welling  as  a  crystal  fountain  in  his  heart — 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  393 

"His  life  hath  flowed 
From  its  mysterious  urn  a  sacred  stream, 
In  whose  calm  depth  the  beautiful  and  pure 
Alone  are  mirror'd;  -which,  though  shapes  of  ill 
May  hover  round  its  surface,  glides  in  light, 
And  takes  no  shadow  from  them."* 

These  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  copious  and 
overflowing ;  a  fountain  sufficient  for  many  gardens ; 
more  healing  to  our  blinded  souls  than  the  streams  of 
Jordan  to  the  leprous  Naaman;  giving  that  under- 
standing which  is  a  well-spring  of  wisdom  to  him  that 
hath  it;  making  the  words  of  a  man's  mouth  as  deep 
waters,  and  the  well-spring  of  wisdom  as  a  flowing 
brook.  Prov.  xviii.  4.    When  a  heathen  could  sing, 

"Go  to  the  silvery  eddies 
Of  pure  Castalia's  spring, 
And  bathed  in  its  pellucid  waves 
Thy  temple  offering  bring  ;"f 

we  feel  that  much  more  shall  we  be  fitted  for  the  ser- 
vices of  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  by  having  our  souls 
continually  steeped  in  purer  than  Castalian  dews  by 
this  perennial  fountain  of  the  Spirit,  gushing  forth  in 
the  heart,  and  bathing  in  its  silvery  streams  the  roots 
of  all  our  virtues  of  holiness.  And  as  Arethusa  was 
fabled  to  have  passed  under  the  sea,  and  broken  forth 
afresh  in  a  distant  island — so  this  fountain  of  the 
soul,  passing  unseen  the  sea  of  death,  shall  burst 
forth  afresh  beyond  those  gloomy  waves,  to  flow  with 

*  Talfourd's  Ion,  act  i.,  sc.  1. 
f  Euripides,  Ion,  95. 
34 


394  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

perennial  and  pellucid  streams  in  the  heavenly  para- 
dise. 

Ver.  16. — Awake,  0  north  wind;  and  come,  thou  south; 
blow  upon  my  garden,  that  the  spices  thereof  may  flow 
out. 

These  words  give  another  feature  of  the  heart 
which  may  meet  Jesus  with  confidence  at  the  throne 
of  grace.  Such  soul  has  been  just  represented  as  a 
garden,  lovely  in  his  eyes,  filled  with  the  precious 
plants  of  the  graces  of  holiness,  and  watered  with  the 
perennial  and  refreshing  streams  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
here  the  heart  is  set  forth  as  having  the  desire,  and 
using  the  corresponding  means,  for  being  in  a  state 
as  agreeable  and  acceptable  as  possible  to  the  beloved. 
All  those  precious  plants  are  not  sufficient  to  picture 
the  loveliness  of  this  garden;  fountains  and  rills  must 
crown  the  whole.  Now,  also,  cooling  winds  are  intro- 
duced for  making  the  abode  in  this  pleasure-garden 
delightful,  and  scattering  the  balmy  fragrance  through 
its  delightful  retreats.  The  east  wind  is  in  Palestine 
generally  withering  and  tempestuous ;  the  west  wind 
brings  from  the  sea  clouds  of  rain,  or  dark,  damp  air; 
the  north  wind  is  cooling  and  refreshing,  its  power 
being  broken  by  the  mountain-chain  of  Lebanon;  the 
south  wind,  though  hot,  has  its  heat  mitigated  in  the 
upland  regions,  and  is  never  stormy.  The  north  wind 
is  called  on  to  "arise,"  because  it  is  more  powerful 
and  strong;  the  south  wind  to  "come,"  as  though  it 
were  the  soft  breathing  zephyr.  The  north  wind 
brought  clear  weather.  "The  north  wind  driveth 
away  rain."  Prov.  xxv.  23.     "Pair  weather  cometh 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  395 

out  of  the  north."  Job  xxxvii.  22.  Pliny  says,  that 
though  cold  and  nipping,  the  north  wind  is  the  most 
wholesome  wind  that  blows.  The  south  wind  was 
warm  and  moist.  "Dost  thou  know,  how  thy  gar- 
ments are  warm  when  he  quieteth  the  earth  by  the 
south  wind?"  Job  xxxvii.  17.  And  the  oriental  poet, 
"  0  gale,  scented  with  sandal,  who  breathest  love  from 
the  regions  of  the  south,  be  propitious."*  The  bride 
here  calls  for  the  north  wind,  that  thereby  all  clouds 
may  be  swept  away,  and  the  sky  cleared;  and  for 
the  south  wind,  that  its  genial  influence  might  ripen 
the  fruits  of  the  garden,  and  draw  forth  the  fragrance 
of  the  flowers.  Thus  Hafiz,  as  quoted  by  Dopke, 
"  Send  me  with  zephyrs,  roses  from  thy  cheek,  that  I 
may  breathe  the  luscious  fragrance  of  thy  garden 
bloom." 

The  wind  is  on  many  accounts  the  best  emblem  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  Hence  our  Saviour  says,  "  The  wind 
bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound : 
so  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  Spirit."  John  iii.  8. 
The  identity  of  the  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin  words 
for  wind,  breath,  and  spirit,  shows  that  the  air  has  the 
nearest  resemblance,  of  all  created  things,  to  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  is  therefore  a  most 
appropriate  illustration.  The  words  of  this  verse  are, 
then,  a  prayer  that  the  heart  may  be  prepared  for  the 
coming  of  Jesus,  by  the  action  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
like  the  north  wind,  sweeping  away  all  gloom,  error, 
unbelief,  and  mists  of  sin;  and  like  the  south  wind, 
warming  into  vigorous  life  all  the  graces  of  holiness. 

*  Songs  of  Jayadeva. 


396  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

To  do  this,  is  the  prerogative  of  this  sacred  agent 
alone.  Gloom  overspreads  the  garden,  and  the  flow 
of  its  spices  is  checked,  not  because  the  heavens 
above  are  changed,  or  the  sun  has  ceased  to  shine, 
for  these  are  as  pure,  and  glorious,  and  life-giving  as 
ever;  but  because  clouds  have  arisen  heavily,  and  in- 
tercept the  genial  influence  from  on  high.  Thus  from 
the  depths  of  that  heart  which  in  its  natural  state  is 
like  the  troubled  sea  when  it  cannot  rest,  arise  clouds 
that  separate  between  us  and  our  God ;  these  influences 
the  Holy  Spirit  removes  by  his  power;  and  then,  shines 
into  our  heart  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
of  God  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ; — then  flows 
forth  the  fragrance  of  our  holy  virtues.  After  times 
of  desertion,  darkness,  and  decay,  when  the  Spirit 
does  thus  clear  the  soul,  and  breathe  thereon  with 
more  than  the  reviving  power  of  the  south  wind, 
how  delightfully  is  the  holiness  of  the  heart  felt  by 
all  around,  "as  the  smell  of  a  field  the  Lord  has 
blessed." 

Let  my  beloved  come  into  his  garden,  and  eat  his  pleasant 
fruits.* 

Having  thus  sought  the  preparation  of  the  heart, 

*  With  this  may  be  compared  the  following  from  Theocritus : 
"And  now  in  due  return,  0  heavenly  born! 
"Whose  honour'd  name  a  thousand  fanes  adorn, 
Arsinoe  gladly  pays  the  rites  divine, 
llival  of  Helen,  at  Adonis'  shrine; 
All  fruits  she  oifers  that  ripe  autumn  yields, 
The  produce  of  the  gardens,  and  the  fields ; 
All  herbs  and  plants  which  silver  baskets  hold; 
And  Syrian  unguents  flow  from  shells  of  gold, 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  397 

the  believer  now  prays  that  Jesus  may  enter  there 
and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  holiness.  Thus,  in  the  Gita- 
govinda,  the  lovely  Kadha  is  in  like  manner  invited 
to  enter  the  garden  or  the  embraces  of  her  beloved: 
"Enter,  sweet  Kadha,  the  bower  graced  with  a  bed 
of  asoca-leaves,  the  bower  illumined  with,  gay  blos- 
soms, the  bower  made  cool  and  fragrant  by  gales  from 
the  woods  of  Malaya."  "Pleasant  fruits,"  or  fruits 
of  pleasantness,  as  in  ver.  13,  means  all  that  are  most 
delicious  of  fruits.  The  fruits  of  the  garden  are  the 
products  of  the  garden;  and  the  fruits  enjoyed  by 
Jesus  in  the  believing  soul  are  those  virtues  which  are 
there  developed  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  the  text 
means  that  our  Lord  should  enjoy  them  as  really  as 
we  enjoy  the  most  delicious  fruits  by  eating.  Well 
would  it  be  for  us,  could  we  feel  that  the  garden-spot 
of  Jesus  in  the  whole  universe,  is  the  heart  of  the 
saint ;  and  the  graces  of  the  soul  are  to  him  a  source 
of  more  exquisite  pleasure  than  to  us  are  the  most 

With  finest  meal  sweet  paste  the  women  make, 

Oil,  flowers,  and  honey  mingling  in  the  cake: 

Earth  and  the  air  afford  a  large  supply 

Of  animals  that  creep,  and  birds  that  fly. 

Green  bow'rs  are  built  with  dill  sweet-smelling  crown'd, 

And  little  Cupids  hover  all  around; 

And  as  young  nightingales  their  wings  essay, 

Skip  here  and  there,  and  hop  from  spray  to  spray, 

What  heaps  of  golden  vessels  glittering  bright! 

What  stores  of  ebon  black,  and  ivory  white! 

In  ivory  carved  large  eagles  seem  to  move, 

And  through  the  clouds  bear  Ganymede  to  Jove." 

— Idyl  xv.  109. 
3i* 


398  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

precious  fruits  of  the  choicest  garden.  How  valuable 
would  we  then  feel  those  graces  to  be,  and  with  what 
care  would  we  cherish  and  cultivate  them  for  this 
blessed  friend,  not  for  self-gratulation  or  self-interest, 
not  for  the  applause  of  the  world,  but  for  the  appro- 
bation and  love  of  our  Lord. 


CHARTER  V. 

Ver.  1. — I  am  come  into  my  garden,  my  sister,  my 
spouse:  I  have  gathered  my  myrrh  with  my  spice;  I  have 
eaten  my  honey-comb  with  my  honey ;  I  have  drunk  my 
wine  with  my  milk:  eat,  0  friends;  drink,  yea,  drink 
abundantly,  O  beloved. 

This  verse  shows  how  promptly  the  prayer  in  the 
foregoing  verse  was  answered.  It  is  the  eighth  rea- 
son for  meeting  Jesus  in  prayer  with  preparation  of 
the  heart;  because  he  will  then  come  into  the  soul  by 
his  Holy  Spirit,  and  bring  around  us  a  host  of  angels 
rejoicing  to  be  our  guard.  When  the  heart  is  thus 
prepared,  and  anxiously  desires  the  presence  of  Christ, 
"It  shall  come  to  pass,  that  before  they  call  I  will  an- 
swer; and  while  they  are  yet  speaking  I  will  hear." 
Isa..lxv.  24.  The  fact  of  the  existence  of  such  desires 
for  him,  is  evidence  of  his  being  with  us;  as  in  this 
passage,  in  immediate  connection  with  the  request,  he 
adds,  "I  have  already  come,  &c."  He  was  present  in 
the  heart,  though  his  presence  was  not  felt;  as  "when 
Jacob  awaked  out  of  his  sleep,  and  said,  Surely  tbe 
Lord  is  in  this  place,  and  I  knew  it  not;"  and  when 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  899 

Jesus  was  present  in  the  garden  with  Mary,  and  she 
knew  it  not.  John  xx.  14. 

In  the  East,  banquets  are  sometimes  held  in  gar- 
dens ;  as  Egmont  and  Heyman,  when  at  the  convent 
of  Sinai,  dined  under  the  trees  of  the  garden,  with  a 
number  of  the  inmates,  on  one  of  their  festival  days. 
The  ancients  were  in  the  habit  of  wearing  chaplets  of 
flowers  on  their  heads  at  feasts.  Thus  in  the  book  of 
Wisdom :  "  Let  us  fill  ourselves  with  costly  wine  and 
ointments;  and  let  no  flower  of  the  spring  pass  by  us. 
Let  us  crown  ourselves  with  rose-buds  before  they  be 
withered."  Chap.  ii.  7.  And  in  the  Arabian  Nights, 
a  person  is  represented  at  Bagdad  as  buying  myrtles, 
lilies,  jessamine,  and  other  fragrant  flowers  and  plants, 
along  with  meat,  wine,  and  fruit,  as  preparations  for 
a  repast.  Milk  and  honey  still  form  a  luscious  and 
common  banquet  among  many  Asiatic  nations.  Milk 
is  mingled  with  wine  for  cooling  the  latter.  Jael  gave 
Sisera,  when  thirsty,  milk  to  drink  instead  of  water, 
as  preferable;  and  Clemens  Alexandrinus  says,  wine 
and  milk  is  a  very  healthful  and  profitable  mixture. 
Tibullus  mentions  "bowls  of  snow-white  milk,  mixed 
with  wine."  The  words  "my  honey-comb  with  my 
honey,"  are  possibly  intended  to  express  both  the 
wild  honey  that  was  found  dropping  from  trees,  and 
that  which  was  eaten  in  the  comb  and  was  consequent- 
ly the  most  delicious.  Gen.  xliii.  11.  In  India,  says 
Mr.  Roberts,  "the  forests  literally  flow  with  honey; 
large  combs  maybe  seen  hanging  on  the  trees,  as  you 
pass  along,  full  of  honey."  The  same  seems  to  have 
been  the  case  formerly  in  Palestine.    Here  the  beloved 


400  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

found  the  best  honey  in  perfection,  and  both  kinds, 
liquid  and  in  the  comb.* 

The  meaning  of  this  verse,  therefore,  is,  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  comes  into  the  heart  prepared  for  him  and 
desiring  him,  and  draws  from  the  enjoyment  of  the 
virtues  blooming  there,  a  pleasure  that  can  be  best 
illustrated  to  man  by  saying,  it  is  like,  in  richness  and 
exquisiteness,  to  the  delight  had  in  dwelling  amid  the 
fragrance,  and  feasting  on  the  delicious  fruits,  of  an 
oriental  garden.  The  willingness  of  Jesus  to  answer 
prayer  is  set  forth  in  many  places  of  the  Scriptures, 
but  nowhere  in  language  more  encouraging  than  this. 
The  idea  is  the  same,  and  in  expressions  equally  figu- 
rative, though  not  so  much  amplified  as  here,  in  John 
xiv.  23,  "We  will  come  unto  him,  and  make  our  abode 
with  him;"  and  in  Rev.  iii.  20,  "I  will  come  in  to  him, 
and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me."  Unbelief, 
blunting  the  spiritual  apprehension  of  the  soul,  keeps 
us  from  feeling  the  power  of  these  passages,  and 
gathering  from  them  due  consolation.  And  in  the 
same  tone  are  the  words,  "  Thus  saith  the  high  and 
lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is 
Holy,  I  dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place,  with  him 
also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit."  Isa. 
lvii.  15.  God  is  indeed  everywhere  present,  but  he 
is  said  to  dwell  in  the  places  where  his  presence  is 

*  "  Honey  was  of  far  more  importance  formerly  than  it  is 
now.  There  was  no  sugar,  and  honey  had  to  supply  its  place, 
besides  being  eaten  in  its  primary  state.  Vast  quantities  of  it 
must,  therefore,  have  been  consumed;  and  the  importance  as- 
signed to  it  in  Scripture  becomes  intelligible." — Kitto. 


SONG     OF    SOLOMON.  401 

manifested  in  brighter  displays  of  his  glory.  Size  of 
place,  greatness  of  extent  or  space,  is  not  requisite  for 
a  habitation  for  him.  In  comparison  with  him  the 
grandest  world  and  the  most  obscure  retreat,  the  most 
widely  extended  garden  and  the  contracted  limits  of 
the  human  soul,  are  equally  mere  spots;  in  his  sight, 
the  dimensions  of  the  temple  on  mount  Moriah,  and 
of  the  heart  which  is  a  temple  for  the  habitation  of 
God  through  the  Spirit,  are  marked  by  no  difference 
worthy  of  notice.  Of  all  other  places,  the  redeemed 
soul  was  especially  created  for  a  shrine  in  which  may 
shine  forth  the  divine  glory;  and  hence,  when  that 
glory  is  thus  manifested  in  the  heart,  there  God  is 
said  to  dwell.  The  idea  of  a  banquet  and  of  feasting 
on  the  most  delicious  fruits,  as  in  this  verse,  is  added 
for  illustrating  to  our  comprehension  the  exceedingly 
great  delight  Jesus  has  in  dwelling  in  such  soul  and 
enjoying  its  graces  of  holiness,  thankfulness,  and 
praise :  as  we  say  of  the  society  of  a  cherished  friend, 
his  company  was  a  feast,  so  the  same  mode  of  expres- 
sion is  used  here.  Even  this  delight  does  he  take  in 
answering  the  prayer  of  his  people  and  manifesting 
his  presence  in  their  soul,  when  they  have  sought  the 
preparation  of  the  heart,  and  are  awaiting  him  in 
humble  faith.  And  when  by  his  Holy  Spirit  thus 
bringing  us  into  union  with  him  by  pervading  and 
enlivening  our  affections,  we  feel  his  presence,  how 
truly  may  he  be  said  to  be  feeding  on  the  fruits  of  this 
spiritual  garden ;  and  how  deep  our  tranquil,  heavenly 
enjoyment. 

"Eat,  0  friends;  drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  0 


402  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

beloved."  These  words,  spoken  by  the  bridegroom 
to  his  attendants,  express  the  wish  indulged  by  Jesus 
to  have  his  own  pleasure  shared  by  others,  here  called 
"beloved  ones."  The  angels  and  the  heavenly  host 
take  a  deep  interest  in  redemption;  there  is  joy  in 
heaven  among  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth;  into  these  things  the  angels  desire  to  look. 
They  sang  together  and  shouted  for  joy  when  the 
corner-stone  of  the  earth  was  laid;  they  announced 
his  coming  at  Bethlehem ;  they  attended  him  at  his 
resurrection  and  at  his  ascension;  and  when  the  Son 
of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  all  the  holy  angels 
shall  be  with  him.  Through  all  our  pilgrimage,  these 
are  ministering  spirits  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them 
who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation ;  and  at  death  the  soul 
is  carried  by  the  angels  to  Abraham's  bosom.  Such, 
being  the  case,  it  is  not  strange  that  they  should  be 
represented  as  attending  Jesus  in  his  visits  to  the  be- 
lieving soul,  and  as  being  allowed  to  share  with  him 
the  delight  had  in  hovering  around,  contemplating 
and  blessing  those  whose  hearts  are  a  sacred  spot,  a 
garden  enclosed  of  the  King  of  kings,  filled  with  the 
fruits  of  those  holy  virtues  which  are  the  choicest 
plants  in  the  universe  of  God.  The  fellows  or  asso- 
ciates in  the  work  of  redemption,  above  whom  Jesus 
is  anointed  with  the  oil  of  gladness,  include  the  angels 
of  heaven.  The  words  "drink,  yea,  drink  abundant- 
ly," are  precisely  the  same  in  the  Hebrew,  with  those 
rendered  "they  drank  and  were  merry  with  him,"  in 
Gen.  xliii.  34.  The  latter  means,  to  drink  to  the  full, 
to  hilarity.     This  kind  of  expression  is  common  in 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  403 

the  East — as  in  the  following  passage,  quoted  by  Sir 
W.  Jones:  "They  who  walk  in  the  true  path  are 
drowned  in  the  sea  of  mysterious  adoration,  they  are 
inebriated  with  the  melody  of  amorous  complaints." 
They  simply  mean  that  these  holy  angels  have  the 
privilege  of  sharing  with  him  his  delight  in  the  sancti- 
fied soul.  They  attend  on  the  saints  and  derive 
exquisite  pleasure  from  hovering  around  us  by  the 
permission  and  command  of  our  Lord.  By  meeting 
Jesus  in  prayer,  among  other  motives  here  mentioned 
for  encouraging  us  so  to  clo,  we  have  this  as  the 
crowning  blessing,  that  there,  on  the  mountain  of 
myrrh  and  hill  of  frankincense,  we  have  coming  down 
into  our  heart  the  heavenly  Shechinah,  Jesus,  through 
his  Holy  Spirit,  encompassed  with  a  crown-like  host 
of  angels.  Plow  great  a  glory  and  protection  !  "Well 
may  prayer  be  said  to  secure  for  us  a  wall  of  fire 
round  about  us,  and  a  glory  in  our  midst.  "The 
angelic  host  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them 
that  fear  him,  and  delivereth  them."  The  case  of 
Elisha  was  but  what  is  enjoyed  by  the  humblest  be- 
liever now,  when,  in  the  midst  of  perils,  "behold  the 
mountain  was  full  of  horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round 
about  Elisha."  2  Kings  vi.  17.  Thus,  for  his  encou- 
ragement, Jacob  was  permitted  to  have  a  view  of  the 
angelic  bands  which,  though  unseen,  had  been  around 
him  when  "the  angels  of  God  met  him;  and  when 
Jacob  saw  them  he  said,  This  is  God's  host."  Gen. 
xxxii.  1.  It  was  while  Daniel  was  praying,  that  Ga- 
briel, being  caused  to  fly  swiftly,  came  to  him  with  a 
gracious   promise,   and   the    assurance   that   he  was 


404  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

greatly  beloved.  Dan.  ix.  20.  The  bereaved  disciples 
were  all  with  one  accord  in  prayer,  when  the  Holy 
Spirit  came  with  a  sound  from  heaven  as  of  a  rushing 
mighty  wind.  While  prayer  was  made  without  ceas- 
ing of  the  church  unto  God  for  Peter,  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  appeared  to  him,  and  brought  him  forth 
from  prison.  And  "  when  Solomon  had  made  an  end 
of  praying,  the  fire  came  down  from  heaven,  and  con- 
sumed the  burnt-offering  and  the  sacrifices;  and  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  filled  the  house."  2  Chron.  vii.  1. 
And  it  was,  when  Jesus  our  forerunner  had  gone  up 
into  a  mountain  to  pray,  and  as  he  prayed,  that  he 
was  transfigured,  and  his  face  did  shine  as  the  sun, 
and  his  raiment  was  white  as  the  light ;  and  a  bright 
cloud,  the  same  that  had  dwelt  between  the  cherubim, 
overshadowed  them ;  and  behold,  the  voice  of  God 
out  of  the  cloud.  Matt.  xvii.  1 ;  Luke  ix.  28. 

How  glorious  was  the  sight  in  Eden,  when  amid  the 
luxuriance  of  Paradise,  man,  just  created,  was  over- 
shadowed by  the  Shechinah,  the  dwelling-place  of 
God;  and  around  was  gathered  the  innumerable  com- 
pany of  angels — the  Lord  and  all  his  attendants 
rejoicing  in  the  work  of  his  hands.  The  same  Sove- 
reign and  his  divine  attendants  take  no  less  interest 
now  in  man  formed  anew  by  redemption ;  and  hover 
over  him  with  equal  glory.  The  idea  here  may  be 
best  got  by  contemplating  a  beautiful,  well-watered 
garden,  Num.  xxiv.  5,  6,  as  described  in  chap.  iv. 
12 — 15;  or  even  like  Eden,  with  the  cloud  that 
rested  over  the  mercy-seat,  dwelling  in  it  as  its  light 
and  glory;  while  an  innumerable  company  of  angels 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  405 

are  gathered  around  in  admiration  and  praise.  And 
when,  after  seasons  of  withdrawal,  in  prayer,  Jesus 
comes  again  into  the  garden  of  our  hearts,  it  is  as  the 
coming  down  of  the  cloud  of  glory  into  the  midst  of 
Paradise  to  overshadow  and  enlighten  it,  surrounded 
by  the  host  of  his  holy  angels. 

How  encouraging  are  the  motives  here  brought 
together  for  inclining  us  to  prayer !  How  delight- 
fully are  they  developed  one  after  another,  till  ending 
in  a  blaze  of  glory,  in  the  assurance  that  by  faithful 
prayer  we  receive  Jesus  to  dwell  in  our  hearts  by  the 
Shechinah  of  his  Spirit,  and  are  encompassed  by  a 
guardian  host  of  angels  ! 

Ver.  2. — I  sleep,  but  my  heart  waketh. 

This  passage,  to  the  end  of  ver.  8,  illustrates  the 
exercises  of  the  soul  in  a  time  of  spiritual  sloth  and 
decay.  After  thus  unfolding  to  us  his  love,  he  lets 
us,  as  in  this  passage,  see  our  depravity  and  indiffer- 
ence. Our  religious  life  consists  of  a  series  of  revivals 
and  of  withdrawals  by  Jesus,  for  calling  into  exercise 
and  putting  to  the  test  our  graces.  When  under  the 
influence  of  first  love,  we  determine  never  to  forget 
the  Saviour,  and  think  the  thing  almost  impossible. 
After  some  experience  of  the  deceitfulness  of  the 
heart,  when  at  some  subsequent  period  we  have  had 
our  souls  restored  and  made  to  lie  down  in  green 
pastures,  beside  the  still  waters,  we  resolve  again  to 
be  faithful  in  close  adherence  to  our  Lord,  under  the 
impression,  that  with  our  present  knowledge  of  the 
35 


406  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

workings  of  sin,  and  the  glorious  displays  made  to  us 
of  the  loveliness  of  Christ,  and  of  his  love  towards  us 
personally,  we  shall  now  at  length  persevere;  but  we 
soon  find  to  our  sorrow,  that,  left  to  ourselves,  we  are 
as  unsteady  and  unfaithful  as  ever.  It  is  surprising 
how  quickly  coldness  will  succeed  great  religious 
fervour.  To  the  experienced  believer  it  will  not  ap- 
pear strange,  that  this  divine  allegory  should  bring 
this  representation  of  indifference  to  the  beloved  into 
such  immediate  connection  with  the  remarkable  ex- 
pressions of  Jesus'  love  contained  in  the  foregoing 
chapter.  Where  is  the  Christian  who  has  not  found 
the  truth  of  this  in  his  own  experience?  The  three 
chosen  disciples  were  overcome  with  lethargy  even  on 
the  mount  of  transfiguration;  and  immediately  after 
the  first  affecting  sacrament,  they  not  only  fell  asleep 
in  Gethsemane,  but  all  forsook  Jesus  and  fled;  while 
Peter  added  thereto  a  denial  of  his  Lord,  with  pro- 
fane swearing.  While  the  bridegroom  tarried,  even 
the  wise  virgins  with  oil  in  their  lamps,  slumbered 
and  slept.  After  endearing  manifestations  of  Jesus' 
love,  how  soon  do  we  find  ourselves  falling  into  spir- 
itual slumber — often,  like  the  disciples  on  the  mount, 
under  the  full  light  of  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
And  after  periods  of  revival,  in  the  same  way  will 
churches  speedily  show  signs  of  sinking  down  into 
former  coldness. 

A  Persian  poet  has  almost  exactly  the  same  image : 
"Last  night,  my  eyes  being  closed  in  sleep,  but  my 
good  genius  awake,  the  whole  night,  the  live-long 
night,  the  image  of  my  beloved  was  the  companion  of 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  407 

my  soul."*  "We  see  no  necessity  for  supposing,  with 
some,  that  Anacreon  must  have  got  from  the  Song 
the  hint  of  his  ode,  in  which  Love  is  represented  as 
standing  at  his  door  at  midnight,  and  begging  for 
admittance,  lost  in  the  dark,  chilled,  and  drenched 
with  the  dews.  Cicero  speaks  of  persons  "semi- 
somni,"  half  asleep,  beholding  the  trite  farces;  and 
Seneca  reflects  on  some  who  lay  half  asleep  until 
mid-day.  This  phrase  is  sometimes  used  to  express 
a  sluggish,  slothful  man,  also  by  Plautus.  Here  it 
implies  that  while  the  body  was  overcome  with  drowsi- 
ness, and  thus  insensible  to  surrounding  things,  the 
heart  was  unaffected,  and  still  vigorous  in  its  affec- 
tions, though  borne  down  and  controlled  by  the  action 
of  the  body.  The  medium  of  activity  for  the  mind  is 
through  the  body ;  hence,  when  the  body  is  asleep, 
though  the  heart  be  awake,  the  individual  is  in  a  state 
of  inactivity  which  cannot  be  broken  till  the  body  is 

*  Mr.  Lane  gives  the  following  from  odes  of  the  Moslems, 
sung  at  their  religious  festivals.     Its  likeness  to  this  part  of 
the  Song  is  obvious: 
"0  gazelle,  from  among  the  gazelles  of  El- Yemen! 

I  am  thy  slave  without  cost ; 

The  phantom  of  thy  form  visited  me  in  my  slumber: 

I  said,  '0  phantom  of  slumber,  who  sent  thee?' 

He  said,  'He  sent  me  whom  thou  knowest; 

He  whom  love  occupies  thee.' 

The  beloved  of  my  heart  visited  me  in  the  darkness  of  the  night : 

I  stood  to  show  him  honour  until  he  sat  down. 

I  said,  '  0  thou,  my  petition  and  all  my  desire ! 

Hast  thou  come  at  midnight  and  not  feared  the  watchman?' 

He  said  to  me,  '  I  feared ;  but,  however,  love 

Had  taken  from  me  my  soul  and  my  breath.' " 


408  COMMENTARY    ON    TIIE 

aroused.  The  spiritual  import  of  these  words  is  there- 
fore well  expressed  by  John  Owen:  "Woful  sloth 
and  negligence  are  apt  to  prevail  in  us,  in  our  medita- 
tions on  heavenly  things.  '  Though  our  hearts  wake' 
in  a  valuation  of  Christ,  his  love,  and  his  grace,  yet 
we  sleep  as  unto  the  due  exercise  of  faith  and  love 
towards  him.  Let  them  take  heed  of  their  aptness  to 
forget  endearing  manifestations  of  special  love.  When 
God  at  any  time  draws  nigh  unto  a  soul  by  his  Spirit 
in  his  word,  with  gracious  words  of  peace  and  love, 
giving  a  sense  of  his  kindness  upon  the  heart  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  so  that  it  is  filled  with  joy  unspeakable 
and  glorious  thereon ;  for  this  soul,  upon  a  temptation, 
a  diversion,  or  by  mere  carelessness  and  neglect, 
which  oftentimes  falls  out,  to  suffer  this  sense  of  love 
to  be,  as  it  were,  obliterated,  and  so  to  lose  that 
influencing  efficacy  unto  obedience  which  it  is  accom- 
panied withal;  this  also  is  full  of  unkindness.  An 
account  hereof  we  have  in  Cant.  v.  1 — 6."* 

*  Madame  Guyon  speaks  of  the  early  part  of  her  residence 
at  Gex  as  being  characterized  by  sweet  and  happy  peace  of 
mind,  and  the  most  intimate  communion  with  God.  She 
mentions,  that  a  number  of  times  she  awoke  at  midnight,  with 
such  a  presence  and  possession  of  God  in  her  soul  that  she 
could  no  longer  sleep,  but  arose  and  spent  hours  in  prayer  and 
praise,  and  divine  communion.  "I  felt,  even  in  my  sleep,  a 
singular  possession  of  God.  He  loved  me  so  much  that  he 
seemed  to  pervade  my  being,  at  a  time  when  I  could  be  only 
imperfectly  conscious  of  his  presence.  My  sleep  is  sometimes 
broken — a  sort  of  half  sleep — but  my  soul  seems  to  be  awake 
enough  to  know  God,  when  it  is  hardly  capable  of  knowing 
any  thing  else." — Life  by  Upham,  vol.  i.  261. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  409 

It  is  the  voice  of  my  beloved  that  knockcth,  Baying, 
Open  to  me,  my  sister,  my  love,  my  clove,  my  undented :  for 
my  head  is  filled  with  dew,  and  my  locks  with  the  drops  of 
the  night. 

Our  view  of  the  nature  of  the  Song  makes  it 
unnecessary  for  us  to  say  anything  in  reply  to  those 
who  view  this  whole  passage  as  a  narrative  of  what 
happened  in  a  dream.  These  incidents,  like  the  sup- 
posable  incidents  of  allegories  in  general,  are  grouped 
together  for  the  mere  purpose  of  illustrating  certain 
points  of  religious  experience.  This  is  done  with 
remarkable  beauty  and  delicacy,  by  this  picture 
showing  how  a  female  treated  a  friend  standing  in 
the  relation  to  her  of  a  husband  and  a  brother,  as 
noted,  chap.  iv.  9,  when  he  sued  for  admittance  at 
night  after  a  temporary  absence.  The  connection 
seems  to  be,  When  I  was  sleeping,  but  my  heart 
waking  and  intent  on  my  friend,  behold  the  voice  of 
my  beloved  was  heard  knocking  at  the  door,  and  say- 
ing, "Open  to  me,  &c."  The  former  clause  expressed 
the  condition  of  the  soul  sunk  down  in  spiritual  drow- 
siness, sloth,  and  inaction.  This  sets  forth  the  ten- 
derness of  Jesus  in  trying  to  rouse  us  from  our  slum- 
bers, and  have  us  to  enjoy  his  society.  How  multi- 
plied and  tender  are  his  terms  of  endearment — My 
sister,  my  beloved  female  friend,  my  dove,  my  perfect 
one.  Chap.  iv.  7.  The  word  "perfect  one,"  says 
Dopke,  "  does  not  mean  physical  beauty,  as  Klenker 
thinks,  but  what  we  express  by,  my  angel,  a  pure 
innocent  virgin."  A  glance  will  show  that  while 
these  epithets  are  of  unsurpassed  tenderness,  they 
35* 


410  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

are  used  as  though  with  scrupulous  care  for  guarding 
against  the  indelicate  ideas  some  have  tried  to  force 
from  this  passage.  ■  It  might  be  thought  that  such 
affecting  appeals  would  have  moved  in  an  instant  the 
bride  to  welcome  him  with  open  arms.  But  to  these 
he  adds  the  fact  of  his  being  damp  and  chilly  from 
the  dew,  which  was  very  copious,  especially  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  spring  and  the  beginning  of 
autumn.  Maundrell  says,  "We  were  instructed  by 
experience  what  the  Psalmist  means  by  the  dew  of 
Hermon,  our  tents  being  as  wet  with  it  as  if  it  had 
rained  all  night."  "My  head  is  filled  with  dew,  and 
my  locks  with  the  drops  of  the  night."  Could  it  be 
thought  possible  that  such  an  appeal  would  be  unsuc- 
cessful ?  There  is  a  twofold  reference — to  his  tender 
love  for  her,  and  to  his  condition  as  houseless,  chilled, 
wet,  and  without  a  place  of  rest  for  the  night. 

Thus  tenderly  does  Jesus  appeal  to  us,  for  rousing 
us  from  our  spiritual  apathy  and  slumbers.  He  is 
all  tenderness.  Concerning  all  his  dealings,  we  must 
say,  "Thy  gentleness  hath  made  me  great."  Ps. 
xviii.  35.     It  is  a  sad  evidence  of  the  strength  of  our 

O 

corruptions,  that  after  such  displays  of  his  love,  we 
should  ever  sink  down  into  indifference.  .  Even  with 
grace  in  the  soul,  with  the  heart  awake,  we  find  our- 
selves falling  asleep,  borne  down  by  the  business  of 
life,  the  charms  of  the  world,  or  the  infirmities  of  the 
flesh.  This  condition  is  one  of  outward  comfort; 
every  thing  around  us  is  pleasant,  as  when  reposing 
at  night  on  our  bed;  and  we  are  feeling  the  dangers 
incurred  by  the  Christian  through  prosperity.     Had 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  411 

the  spouse  been  at  this  time  suffering  from  pain  or 
fear,  so  as  to  be  incapable  of  sleep,  and  to  feel  the 
need  of  the  presence  and  protection  of  the  beloved 
he  would  have  found  her  watching  for  his  return,  and 
would  not  have  been  obliged  thus  to  sue  for  admis- 
sion.    At  such  times,  in  our  heartless  indifference, 
how  tenderly  does  he  try  to  regain  and  rouse  our 
love      What  tenderness  was   there    m   the   look  he 
turned  on  backsliding  Peter;  and  also  in  the  words, 
"Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  me."     It  might  be 
supposed  that  the  simple  words,  "Behold,  I  stand  at 
the  door  and  knock,"  would  be  enough  to  make  us 
leap  from  our  spiritual  slumbers,  without  such  sub- 
duing language  as  is  here  used. 

Ver.  3.__l  have  put  off  my  coat;  how  shall  I  put  it 
on?     I  have  washed  my  feet;  how  shall  I  dehle  them  I 

These  words  mean,  that  as  the  bride  had  retired  to 
rest,  she  could  not  put  herself  to  the  trouble  of  aris- 
ing, even  to  let  in  the  beloved.  The  bath  is  men- 
tioned in  the  Odyssey,  in  connection  with  retiring: 

"Give  him  the  bath,  arrange  his  couch  with  rugs 
Of  warmth  and  costliness,  and  linen  soft, 
There  to  await  the  golden-throned  morn." 

As  Lady  Montague  assures  us,  the  houses  of  the 
great  ladies  are  kept  clean  with  as  much  nicety  as 
those  of  Holland,  this  pretence  must  appear  still 
more  frivolous.  Taken  as  an  illustration  of  the 
nature  of  the  excuses  formed  by  the  soul  for  neglect- 
ing to  receive  Jesus  at  times  of  spiritual  lethargy 
these  words  are  true  and  instructive.     To  us,  it  would 


412  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

seem  impossible  that  the  spouse  could  indulge  or  give 
such  a  reason.  Yet  the  thing  signified  hereby  has 
happened,  how  often,  in  our  own  experience.  When,' 
in  our  indifference  to  him,  Jesus  has  stood  near  and 
allured  by  the  tenderest  influences,  how  often  have 
we  allowed  personal  ease,  worldly  pleasure,  business, 
and  indeed  sheer  indolence,  to  make  us  indifferent  to 
his  tenderness,  and  cause  us  to  allow  him  to  remain 
suing  for  admission  to  our  hearts.  The  most  trivial 
thing  is  enough  to  keep  us  from  running  to  meet  him 
in  the  duty  of  secret  prayer,  of  the  social  meeting,  of 
scripture-study  and  self-examination,  of  attending  in 
the  sanctuary,  of  giving  to  the  cause  of  benevolence, 
of  co-operating  in  Christian  activity,  of  ministering  to 
the  necessity  of  saints.  The  same  truth  is  illustrated 
in  the  conduct  of  those  bidden  to  the  supper,  when 
"they  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse." 
Luke  xiv.  18. 

Ver.  4. — My  beloved  put  in  his  hand  by  the  hole  of  the 
door,  and  my  bowels  were  moved  for  him. 

On  the  whole,  the  best  explanation  of  the  first 
clause  of  this  verse,  seems  to  us  that  which  may  be 
got  from  a  statement  of  Wilkinson,  taken  with  one  in 
the  "Mission  of  Inquiry  to  the  Jews."  "The  folding 
doors  had  bolts  in  the  centre ;  a  bar  was  placed  across 
from  one  wall  to  the  other;  and  in  many  instances 
wooden  locks  secured  them  by  passing  over  the  centre, 
at  the  junction  of  the  two  folds.  These  locks  were 
probably  on  the  principle  of  those  now  used  in  Egypt, 
which  are  of  wood,  and  are  opened  by  a  key  furnished 


SONO     OF     SOLOMON.  413 

with  several  fixed  pins,  answering  to  a  similar  num- 
ber, that  fall  down  into  the  hollow  moveable  tongue, 
into  which  the  key  is  introduced  when  they  fasten  or 
open  the  lock."  "He  showed  us  the  key  of  his  cot- 
tage, commonly  used  for  the  door,  which  is  nothing 
more  than  a  piece  of  wood  with  pegs  fastened  in  it, 
corresponding  to  small  holes  in  a  wooden  bolt  within. 
It  is  put  through  a  hole  in  the  door,  and  draws  the 
bolt  in  a  very  simple  manner.  The  large  opening 
through  which  the  key  is  introduced,  illustrates  these 
words  in  the  Song."  The  words,  "put  in  his  hand 
by  the  hole  of  the  door,"  we  prefer  reading,  "with- 
drew his  hand  from  the  hole  of  the  door."  This, 
perhaps,  is  more  strictly  the  meaning  of  the  Hebrew, 
and  gives  a  sufficient  reason  for  her  rising  at  that 
particular  moment  for  opening  the  door  to  him.  He 
might  have  removed  the  bolt  and  entered  without  her 
assistance ;  but  after  having  put  his  hand  through  the 
aperture  and  made  a  movement  towards  opening,  find- 
ing her  still  untouched  by  his  very  tender  appeal, 
and  treating  him  with  indifference,  he  stopped,  with- 
drew his  hand,  and  departed.  This  roused  her  from 
her  lethargy,  and  brought  her  to  her  senses.  She 
had  an  ardent  affection  for  the  beloved,  notwithstand- 
ing this  exhibition  of  indifference.  With  the  thought 
of  his  tenderness  and  her  own  unkindness  flashing  on 
her  mind,  the  idea  of  losing  his  society,  and  having 
him  to  remain  longer  under  the  chilling  dews,  touched 
her  heart,  and  roused  into  full  vigour  all  her  dormant 
love. 

In  this  state  of  apathy,  Jesus  makes  attempts  for 


414  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

gaining  admission  to  our  hearts.  The  beloved  did 
more  than  merely  address  the  bride  in  endearing 
terms;  he  tried  to  open  the  door.  Our  Saviour  not 
only  "speaks  to  the  heart  of  Jerusalem,"  but  tries  to 
unbar  the  entrance  to  the  soul,  that  he  may  come  in 
and  sup  with  us,  and  take  up  there  his  abode.  At 
times  when,  though  the  heart  feels  the  value  of  Christ, 
faith  and  love,  with  their  corresponding  activity  in 
his  service,  are  slumbering,  we  find  Jesus  making 
efforts  to  arouse  us  by  moving  sweetly  on  the  heart 
with  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  by  various  gracious  acts  of 
his  providence.  Repeatedly  may  we  have  felt  an 
influence  on  the  heart,  we  could  not  tell  how,  or 
whence,  surprising  us  in  our  coldness,  coming  even 
without  our  prayers,  warming  our  affections,  making 
us  feel  greater  interest  in  spiritual  things,  and  caus- 
ing us  to  be  sensible  that  it  was  indeed  Jesus.  He 
had  truly  come  unsought.  We  were  still  in  our  slum- 
bers, even  yet  hardly  enough  awake  to  feel  the  force 
of  his  whispers  of  love,  so  beautifully  though  inade- 
quately shadowed  forth  by  this  touching  language  of 
the  beloved.  Circumstances  of  ease  around  us,  gloom 
on  the  mind,  drowsiness  on  the  heart,  made  us  reluc- 
tant to  shake  off  our  lethargy,  and  arise  to  give  him 
a  cordial  welcome.  We  were  precisely  in  the  condi- 
tion of  a  person  partially  aroused  from  sleep.  His 
appeals  failed  to  make  a  successful  impression;  and 
we  were  satisfied  to  quiet  conscience  with  the  most 
frivolous  excuses.  At  length  the  influence  felt  mov- 
ing on  the  heart  began  to  subside;  and  the  soul, 
instead  of  passing  on  to  such  full  measures  of  the 


SONO     OP     SOLOMON.  415 

Holy  Spirit  as  had  been  enjoyed  in  the  presence  of 
Jesus,  found  the  light  of  his  countenance  withdraw- 
ing, spiritual  impressions  growing  fainter,  and  the 
affections  settling  down  into  deeper  torpor  and  gloom. 
Symptoms  of  his  withdrawal  began  first  to  bring  us 
to  our  senses.  The  fear  of  losing  one  who  had  so 
loved  us,  and  had  just  been  speaking  to  us  so  tender- 
ly, moved  our  hearts  towards  him,  and  made  us  rise 
to  give  him  a  welcome.  The  three  following  truths 
are  therefore  embodied  in  this  verse : — when  we  are 
in  a  state  of  spiritual  coldness  and  indifference,  Jesus 
often  takes  steps  for  arousing  us  from  our  lethargy, 
and  gaining  admittance  to  our  hearts;  continued 
neglect  on  our  part  will  lead  him  to  stop  these  exer- 
tions and  withdraw ;  then  when  he  is  withdrawing  do 
we,  frequently,  first  awake  to  a  sense  of  the  desira- 
bleness of  his  presence,  and  the  value  of  his  love. 

Ver.  5. — I  rose  up  to  open  to  my  beloved;  and  my 
hands  dropped  with  myrrh,  and  my  fingers  with  sweet- 
smelling  myrrh,  upon  the  handles  of  the  lock. 

There  is  an  interpretation  of  this  verse  which  seems 
to  us  incorrect,  and  to  have  been  suggested  by  a  Ro- 
man custom: 

"  With  tears,  the  Hng'ring  lover  at  the  door 
Hangs  flowery  wreaths,  and  with  perfume  hedews 
The  threshold,  and  impresses  many  a  kiss."* 

"With  this  the  idea  would  be,  that  the  beloved  had 
poured  liquid  myrrh  profusely  on  the  handle  of  the 
bolt  or  lock,  and  this  it  was  that  perfumed  the  hand 
of  the  spouse.     But  the  more  reasonable  view  is,  that 

*  Lucretius,  iv.  1171. 


416  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

in  her  room  were  standing,  according  to  the  custom 
of  the  times,  vases  of  perfumes  as  well  as  other  pre- 
sents, such  as  eastern  ladies  prepare  for  welcoming 
their  lovers :  as  in  Hafiz, 

"For  me  the  angel  of  my  heart  prepares 
Chaplets  and  unguents  breathing  fragrant  airs." 

With  this  compare  Prov.  vii.  17.  In  climates  so  warm 
as  to  keep  persons  almost  constantly  in  a  state  of 
sensible  perspiration,  it  is  found  a  great  comfort  to 
have  the  palms  of  the  hands  and  the  soles  of  the  feet 
in  a  comparatively  dry  state,  particularly  as  to  the 
hands,  which  would  otherwise  moisten  whatever  they 
handled.  Perfumes,  as  mentioned  by  Pliny,  were 
placed  on  the  back  of  the  hand  as  the  coolest  part  of 
the  body,  and  as  causing  their  fragrance  to  exhale 
with  greatest  richness.*  The  free  use  of  odours  by 
oriental  ladies  in  meeting  their  loved  ones,  is  men- 
tioned in  Esther,  chap.  ii.  12.  Now  in  rising  to  meet 
her  beloved,  the  spouse  made  use  of  these  perfumes ; 
and  according  to  the  usual  custom,  poured  of  them 
on  the  back  of  the  hands,  perhaps  the  more  freely 
from  her  anxiety  and  haste;  this  perfume,  thus  so 
liberally  used,  bedewed  the  handles  of  the  lock  with 
its  precious  drops.  The  word  "sweet  smelling," 
means  liquid,  or  that  which  has  wept  drop  by  drop, 
tear-like,  from  the  tree,  and  is  consequently  most  pre- 
cious.    To  use  such  perfume,  and  thus  liberally,  was 

*  "He  was  making  his  toilet  for  the  day;  and  his  hands 
were  bedewed  with  the  perfumes  which  his  valets-de-chambre 
had  poured  upon  them." — Lamarline's  Restoration  of  Monar- 
chy in  France,  vol.  ii.  195. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  417 

the  most  palpable  proof  a  bride  could  give  her  lover, 
of  welcoming  his  presence.  Hence,  after  the  indif- 
ference of  the  spouse,  as  she  wished,  on  awaking  to  a 
sense  of  her  unkindness,  to  make  the  beloved  feel  how 
cheerfully  she  received  him,  she  naturally  used  her 
very  best  perfume,  and  that  very  freely,  so  much  so 
that  it  dropped  on  the  handle  of  the  bolt.  For  show- 
ing her  love,  there  came  to  Jesus  a  woman  having 
an  alabaster  box  of  very  precious  ointment.  The 
text  does  then  represent  the  anxiety  of  the  soul,  when 
awaked  to  a  sense  of  the  unkindness  and  guilt  of  its 
spiritual  sloth,  to  meet  Jesus  with  every  possible 
demonstration  of  welcome  and  affection.  We  wish  to 
make  amends  for  past  ingratitude  and  indolence.  In 
the  case  illustrated  by  the  spouse,  the  believer  has 
the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  liquid  myrrh, 
resting  sometimes  even  richly  on  his  heart.  Without 
these,  there  can  be  no  earnest  seeking  after  Jesus. 

Ver.  6. — I  opened  to  my  beloved;  but  ray  beloved  had 
withdrawn  himself,  and  was  gone :  my  soul  failed  when  he 
spake:  I  sought  him,  but  I  could  not  find  him;  I  called 
him,  but  he  gave  me  no  answer. 

At  length,  coming  with  a  desire  to  give  him  a  cor- 
dial welcome,  the  spouse  opened  the  door  for  the 
beloved,  but  found  that  he  had  turned  away,  was  gone. 
In  the  words,  "my  soul  failed  when  he  spake,"  we 
read  the  three  latter,  literally,  'because  of  his  speak- 
ing,' or  '  after  his  speaking.'  Such  may  be  the  force  of 
the  preposition  here  used  with  the  infinitive.  The 
meaning  would  then  be,  not  that  her  soul  fainted,  or 
she  was  overcome  while  he  was  speaking,  but  after, 
30 


418  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

and  in  consequence  of  what  he  had  said.  Finding 
him  gone,  she  called  to  mind  his  tender,  affecting  lan- 
guage, and  was  so  overcome  thereby  as  to  be  almost 
unmanned.  Recovering  herself,  she  began  to  seek 
him,  but  could  not  find  him ;  she  called,  but  got  no 
answer. 

It  is  dangerous  for  us  to  hesitate  and  delay  when 
Jesus  shows  willingness  to  enter  the  soul  again  by  his 
Holy  Spirit.  When  he  has  been  kind  enough  to  seek 
us  out  in  our  decay,  we  should  run  with  eagerness  to 
meet  him  at  the  first  intimation  of  his  approach. 
Neglect  to  do  so,  leads  to  his  withdrawal,  and  lays 
up  for  us  periods  of  toil,  sorrow,  desertion,  and  hu- 
miliation. Grace  in  the  heart  may  keep  our  affec- 
tions vigorous;  he  will  not  gratify  us  with  sensible 
proofs  of  his  presence.  The  recollection  of  his  kind- 
ness and  his  melting  words  of  love  during  our  period 
of  sloth,  affects  us  very  deeply;  causes  our  soul  to 
fail;  and  arouses  us  to  great  exertions  in  seeking  him 
for  repairing  the  consequences  of  our  neglect.  By  this 
carnal  security  and  sloth,  the  believer  has  lost  very 
many  periods  of  delightful  communion  with  Jesus,  and 
been  obliged  to  encounter  painful  difficulties,  with 
seasons  of  darkness,  reproach,  and  persecution. 

Ver.  7. — The  watchmen  that  went  about  the  city  found 
me,  they  smote  me,  they  wounded  me;  the  keepers  of 
the  walls  took  away  my  veil  from  me. 

The  spouse  had  before  sought  the  beloved  by  night 
in  the  streets,  but  under  different  circumstances.  See 
chap.  iii.  2,  3.  In  the  former  case,  there  was  no 
treating  of  the  beloved  with  neglect;  and  as  she 
sought  him  from  the  impulse  of  deep  affection,  she 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  419 

found  him  almost  immediately,  without  difficulty; 
here  as  the  result  of  her  neglect  she  encounters  much 
unpleasantness  and  trouble.  The  watchmen  treated 
her  in  an  unworthy  manner.  Watchmen  were  cus- 
tomarily employed  in  Jerusalem ;  and  their  post  was  at 
the  gates;  at  night  watchmen  were  accustomed  to  per- 
ambulate the  city.  These  represent  the  ministers  of 
the  Church,  with  whom  the  believer  is  naturally  brought 
in  contact,  when  suffering  under  spiritual  desertion, 
and  seeking  Jesus  in  times  of  darkness  and  trial. 

The  watchmen  viewed  the  spouse  as  a  bad  woman ; 
for  females  were  not  allowed  to  go  about  the  streets 
in  the  night  in  common.  They  smote  her,  wounded 
her,  and  took  away  her  veil :  the  last  is  the  greatest 
indignity  that  can  be  offered  to  an  oriental  lady.  The 
meaning  is,  they  did  not  recognize  her  claims  to  re- 
spectability; and  treated  her  as  one  positively  vicious. 
Her  conduct,  though  not  morally  wrong,  was  unusual. 
As  it  was  not  customary  for  them  to  see  a  respectable 
female  under  such  circumstances,  they  supposed  no 
one  could  be  reputable  while  acting  thus.  Hers  was 
a  manifestation  of  female  devotion  they  had  never 
yet  seen.  Christians  animated  by  a  holy  zeal,  under 
intense  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  have  often  met 
with  ill-treatment  from  their  brethren,  and  even  from 
the  ministry,  the  watchmen  of  Zion  who  should  help 
them  in  their  search  for  the  object  of  their  affection, 
rather  than  treat  them  as  destitute  of  suitable  claims 
to  be  considered  real  lovers  of  Jesus.  This  disposition 
has  not  been  confined  to  any  one  sect;  it  belongs  to 
human  nature,  and  has  shown  itself  in  men  of  every 


420  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

creed.  Every  pious  exercise  differing  in  vigour  and 
degree  from  the  current  feeling  of  nominal  Christians 
and  the  imaginary  standard  of  particular  churches, 
is  viewed  with  suspicion,  as  distempered  and  spurious, 
as  the  offspring  of  fanaticism,  however  unmistakenly 
it  may  bear  the  marks  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  In  their 
fear  of  what  is  called  fanaticism,  some  persons  shun 
what  are  genuine  religious  affections.  Many  a  poor 
soul,  with  a  heart  aching  and  burning  to  know  more 
of  Christ,  has  had  its  honest  inquiries  met  with  re- 
proach or  indifference.  Hence,  in  every  age,  when 
spiritual  decay  has  been  prevalent,  persons  taking 
the  lead  in  reviving  evangelical  religion  have  had 
to  encounter  ill-treatment  and  persecution.  "Your 
brethren  that  hated  you,  that  cast  you  out  for  my 
name's  sake,  said,  Let  the  Lord  be  glorified:  but  he 
shall  appear  to  your  joy,  and  they  shall  be  ashamed." 
Jesus  himself  was  cast  out  from  the  synagogue  ;  and, 
at  last,  put  to  death.  Shall  we  mention  Chrysos- 
tom,  Luther?  nay,  the  whole  history  of  the  church 
is  an  illustration.  Thus  was  Lady  Guyon  treated  in 
France ;  Edwards  at  Northampton  ;  and  the  evangel- 
ical brethren  of  the  present  day,  in  Scotland.  Every 
Christian  communion  has  a  general  type  of  piety 
peculiar  to  itself;  and  many  look  with  incredulity  on 
any  manifestation  of  holy  affections  of  a  kind  at  all 
different. 

Ver.  8. — I  charge  you,  0  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  if 
ye  find  my  beloved,  that  ye  tell  him,  that  I  am  sick  of 
love. 

See   remarks  on   chap.    ii.    5 — 7.      Leaving   the 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON. 


421 


watchmen  who  had  ill-treated  her,  the  spouse  turns 
to  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  as  more  congenial 
friends.  To  them  she  opens  her  feelings ;  their  inte- 
rest she  seeks  to  enlist.  Thus  the  humble  believer, 
received  with  coldness  and  repulse  by  those  high  in 
authority,  turns  away  to  find  kindred  spirits  and 
sympathizing  hearts  among  unknown  brethren  of  a 
deeper  religious  experience. 

We  see  here  that  holy  love  and  holy  joy  do  not 
always  exist  together  in  equal  degree.  There  may 
be  very  much  of  the  former  during  an  absence  of  the 
latter.  The  soul  may  be  sick  of  love  to  Jesus,  while 
mourning  the  withdrawal  of  his  presence,  and  strug- 
gling amid  the  darkness  of  temptation,  obloquy,  and 
sorrow.  Want  of  joy  is  no  proof  of  the  absence  of 
grace.  A  beloved  friend  may  be  as  devotedly  loved 
when  we  are  separated  from  him  by  distance  and 
struggling  with  difficulties,  as  when  we  are  peacefully 
enjoying  his  society.  It  were  certainly  unreasona- 
ble to  doubt  our  love  to  him,  or  his  love  to  us, 
because  necessary  duties  of  life  often  separated  us. 
And  in  these  hours  when  Jesus  has  left  us,  even 
though  through  our  own  neglect,  we  may  still  be 
comforted  with  the  assurance  of  loving  him,  if  we 
persevere  in  anxiously  seeking  him,  even  amid  dark- 
ness, suspicion,  and  trial.  We  must  assuredly  love 
him,  when  able  to  adopt  the  words  of  Augustin, 
"What  shall  I  say?  what  shall  I  do?  whither  shall 
I  go  ?  where  shall  I  seek  him  ?  or  when  shall  I  find 
him?  whom  shall  I  ask?  who  will  tell  my  beloved 
that  I  am  sick  of  love?" 
36* 


422  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

Ver.  9. — What  is  thy  beloved  more  than  another  be- 
loved, O  thou  fairest  among  women  ?  what  is  thy  beloved 
more  than  another  beloved,  that  thou  dost  so  charge  us  ? 

The  daughters  of  Jerusalem  seeing  the  beauty  of 
the  spouse,  knowing  her  character,  and  noticing  her 
very  fervent  love,  are  naturally  led  to  ask  her  what 
there  is  so  peculiarly  attractive  in  her  beloved,  what 
are  his  excellences  more  than  those  of  any  other. 
This  inquiry  prepares  the  way  very  fitly  for  the 
beautiful  illustration  that  follows  of  the  loveliness  of 
Jesus.  On  the  words  "0  thou  fairest,  &c."  see 
chap.  i.  8.  This  question  was  put,  not  by  foreigners, 
but  by  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem.  And  when  real 
Christians  sometimes  meet  with  those  who  have  had 
brighter  views  than  themselves  of  the  loveliness  of 
our  Lord,  they  are  ready  to  make  the  same  inquiry, 
to  ask  what  we  see  in  Christ  to  make  us  speak  of  him 
with  such  fervour.  Every  person  has  some  leading 
object  of  affection,  on  which  the  heart  is  devotedly 
set.  For  instance,  the  soldiers  of  Napoleon  found 
this  object  in  their  emperor;  and  should  they  put 
this  question,  what  must  be  the  answer?  What  is 
Christ  Jesus,  the  beloved  of  the  saint,  more  than 
the  beloved  of  those  soldiers  ?  Others  have  the  heart 
set  on  a  cherished  husband,  wife,  or  child :  what  is 
Christ  more  than  these?  Again,  some,  like  the  fair 
youth  Narcissus,  who  became  enamoured  with  the 
beauty  of  his  own  form  seen  in  a  pellucid  fountain, 
make  self  the  idol  of  their  hearts;  others  fix  their 
hearts  on  a  heap  of  dust,  called  gold;  while  others  in 
love  with  the  beautiful,  entwine  around  a  work  of 


SONG     OF    SOLOMON.  423 

imagination,  a  picture,  or  a  statue,  the  warm  affec- 
tions of  the  heart.  What  is  the  beloved  of  the  saint, 
Jesus,  more  than  the  beloved  of  these  ? 

Ver.  10. — My  beloved  is  white  and  ruddy,  the  chicfest 
among  ten  thousand. 

The  principles  guiding  the  interpretation  of  this 
whole  passage  to  the  close  of  the  chapter,  have  been 
already  explained.  The  nature  of  this  description, 
and  of  the  others  like  it  in  the  Song,  is  precisely  such 
as  is  seen  in  the  exhibition  of  a  piece  of  fine  statuary 
or  a  beautiful  painting.  Should  a  person  wish  to  re- 
present to  another  the  impression  made  on  his  own 
mind  by  gazing  on  the  Apollo  Belvidere,  he  must  pro- 
ceed on  the  same  general  principles  here  adopted, 
though  his  comparisons  and  language  must  be  neces- 
sarily different.  Persons  of  cultivated  taste  feel  it  is 
not  improper  to  study  finished  works  of  art ;  and  even 
in  the  present  advanced  stage  of  civilization,  statues 
with  little  or  no  drapery  are  placed  among  the  choicest 
productions  of  genius,  and  gazed  on  by  thousands  of 
both  sexes,  in  company,  without  a  blush  or  thought  of 
any  thing  indelicate.  Does  any  one  deem  it  an  offence 
against  good  taste,  to  exhibit  or  to  study  the  Apollo, 
the  Venus  de  Medici,  or  the  Greek  Slave  ?  Those  who 
are  willing  to  admire  such  undying  productions,  can- 
not with  any  consistency  find  fault  with  these  portraits 
of  the  Song.  The  difference  between  the  two  cases  is 
simply  this — what  statues  do  through  marble,  the  Song 
does  through  words.  These  delineations  in  the  Song 
give  a  picture  of  a  noble  human  form,  around  which 


424  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

is  thrown  every  drapery  necessary  to  add  to  the  beauty 
and  gratify  the  most  delicate  taste.  In  defence  of 
these  exquisite  delineations  of  the  beautiful  in  the  hu- 
man form,  we  are  not  willing  to  plead,  as  might  be 
justly  done,  that  at  the  time  the  Song  was  written,  its 
language  was,  in  point  of  modesty,  far  ahead  of  the 
most  refined  nations ;  and  that  when  our  translation 
of  the  Bible  was  made,  these  passages  were  far  above 
the  general  tone  of  English  literature.  We  take  rather 
the  higher  and  stronger  ground,  that  these  representa- 
tions are  in  perfect  accordance  with  the  constitution 
of  the  human  mind,  and  with  principles  universally 
admitted  in  the  fine  arts.  The  sculptor  wishing  to 
represent  the  perfect  beauty  of  the  human  form,  por- 
trays it  by  a  resemblance  of  man  wrought  in  marble. 
The  custom  of  mankind  is  to  set  off  the  body  with 
dress  and  ornaments  drawn  from  different  parts  of  the 
world,  such  as  gold,  gems,  silks,  plumes,  &c.  Why, 
therefore,  should  it  be  thought  strange  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  should  draw  together  beautiful  objects  from  dif- 
ferent quarters,  for  representing  the  beauty  of  the 
body.  Beautiful  attire  invests  the  body  according  to 
a  natural  custom ;  why  should  not  the  same  right  be 
granted  concerning  an  ideal  body  around  which  is 
thrown  the  drapery  of  the  beautiful  thoughts  here 
grouped  together.  When  it  is  said  that  such  and  such 
parts  of  the  body  are  thus  and  thus  beautiful,  the 
meaning  is,  there  is  thrown  over  a  human  form  a  dra- 
pery and  ornaments  formed  of  the  ideas  suggested  by 
these  comparisons.  These  illustrations  form  a  splen- 
did drapery,  the  design  of  which  is  to  set  off  with  per- 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  425 

feet  grace,  and  heighten  to  the  greatest  possible  de- 
gree, every  beauty  of  the  human  form ; — having  done 
this,  the  Holy  Sj>irit  points  to  such  portraiture,  to 
such  embodiment  of  beauty,  and  says,  That  may  be 
an  illustration  of  the  beauty  there  is  in  Jesus.  Wish- 
ing to  set  forth  to  mortal  eyes  the  beauty  seen  in 
Christ,  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  Holy  Spirit  represents 
these  not  in  marble  that  may  be  mutilated,  and  may 
perish,  but  in  language  that  can  never  die;  and 
gathers  in  this  language  the  most  beautiful  compari- 
sons and  richest  expressions  possible.  Could  no  other 
reason  be  given  for  inserting  these  passages  in  the 
Scriptures,  this  would  be  sufficient — that  Christians  of 
undoubted  piety,  deep  experience,  and  great  purity  of 
heart,  have  found  these  illustrations  of  the  loveliness 
of  Christ,  a  source  of  instruction  and  unspeakable  de- 
light— not  only  not  suggesting  unhallowed  thoughts, 
but  feeding  the  soul  with  meditations  kindred  with 
those  of  heaven. 

"Ne  from  thenceforth  doth  any  fleshy  sense 
Or  idle  thought  of  earthly  things  remaine: 
So  full  their  eyes  are  of  that  glorious  sight, 
And  senses  fraught  with  such  satietie, 
That  in  nought  else  on  earth  can  they  delight, 
But  in  th'  aspec  of  that  felicitie, 
Which  they  have  written  in  their  inward  eye."* 

Like  pellucid  rills  from  different  springs,  the  trains  of 
beautiful  thoughts  flowing  from  the  various  illustra- 
tions here  mentioned,  combine  into  one  full  stream, 
and  inundate  the  soul  with  a  flood  of  delight. 

*  Spenser's  Hymn  of  Heavenly  Beauty. 


426  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

When  it  is  said,  the  beloved  is  white  and  ruddy, 
the  meaning  is,  that  his  complexion  is  the  perfection 
of  beauty  and  health.  David  was  "ruddy,  and  withal 
of  beautiful  countenance,  and  goodly  to  look  to." 
1  Sam.  xvi.  12.  So  beautiful  is  our  beloved,  that  he 
is  the  chief  among  ten  thousand;  or  literally,  he  is 
lifted  up  as  a  banner  among  an  innumerable  host; 
that  is,  in  a  countless  host  the  eye  would  naturally 
rest  on  him  conspicuous  and  pre-eminent  above  all 
others,  as  it  distinguishes  a  banner  amid  tens  of 
thousands  of  people.  When  Milton  would  represent 
Satan  as  distinguished  above  his  compeers,  his  words 
are: 

"He,  above  the  rest, 
In  shape  and  gesture  proudly  eminent, 
Stood  like  a  tower." 

In  the  muster  of  the  fallen  angels  in  hell,  the  imperial 
ensign 

"Full  high  advanced, 
Shone  like  a  meteor,  streaming  to  the  wind, 
With  gems  and  golden  lustre  rich  emblazed :" 

thus,  towers  Jesus  above  all  others,  the  centre  of 
attraction  to  whom  all  eyes  must  ever  be  turned,  even 
amid  the  innumerable  company  of  angels.  The  be- 
liever feels  most  truly,  that  wherever  he  goes,  under 
all  circumstances,  Jesus  is,  like  the  banner  in  an 
armed  host,  the  centre  of  attraction  to  which  his  eyes 
are  always  anxiously  turned,  the  rallying  point  of  his 
soul,  full  high  advanced  above  all  others;  the  splen- 
dour of  his  divinity  burning  with  a  brilliancy  of  glory 


SONG    OP     SOLOMON.  427 

richer  than  a  meteor  streaming  to  the  wind,  brighter 
than  the  cloud  that  rested  on  the  mount  of  transfigu- 
ration. That  mount,  with  the  crown-like  glory  of  the 
bright  cloud  then  resting  there,  was  distinguished 
above  all  other  mountains ;  and  thus,  amid  the  hosts 
of  heaven,  Jesus  is  pre-eminent  by  the  crown  of 
glory  and  honour,  the  radiance  of  the  divinity  encom- 
passing him  as  a  sun.  lie  is  even  now  the  sun  by 
whose  light  all  the  youth  of  "the  sacramental  host  of 
God's  elect"  move  to  do  the  brave  acts  of  their 
spiritual  warfare.  To  him  are  we  exhorted  to  look, 
him  to  imitate,  him  to  follow.  In  this  grandeur  and 
glory  of  his  divinity,  does  he  loom  up  before  the  soul 
in  the  hour  of  repentance,  in  trouble,  in  the  valley  of 
the  shadow  of  death.  In  heaven  he  will  be  the 
conspicuous  object  to  angels,  no  less  than  to  the 
redeemed;  for  who  besides  him  is  there  like  him, 
even  in  heaven?  In  him  are  combined  the  divine 
and  human  natures ;  and  this  union  gives  rise  to  a 
development  of  glory,  splendid  and  remarkable,  as  it 
is  singular  and  grand. 

In  this  verse,  therefore,  as  introducing  the  follow- 
ing description,  there  are  two  general  statements: 
first,  that  he  has  the  beauty  springing  from  the  clear- 
ness of  complexion  and  ruddy  glow,  bespeaking  per- 
fect health ;  and  that  there  is  something  in  his  gen- 
eral appearance  which  would  draw  attention  to  him 
above  all  others,  even  amid  an  innumerable  host.* 

*  Kitto  gives  from  the  Persian,  the  following  description  of 
the  patriarch  Joseph,  with  which  this  description  of  the  be- 


428  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

Ver  11. — His  head  is  as  the  most  fine  gold;  his  locks 
are  bushy,  and  black  as  a  raven. 

The  words  rendered  "the  most  fine  gold,"  seem, 
from  the  original,  to  mean  the  choicest  gold,  such  as 
kings  laid  up  among  their  peculiar  treasures — gold 
most  carefully  refined.  Perhaps  Rosenmiiller's  idea 
may  be  correct,  when  he  understands  them  to  express 
choice,  pure,  solid  gold.  Our  apprehension  of  the 
meaning  is,  that  the  head  of  the  beloved  was  so  ex- 
quisitely beautiful,  and  an  object  of  such  pleasure  to 
the  contemplation  of  the  bride,  she  could  illustrate 
her  feelings  in  gazing  on  it,  in  no  better  way  than  by 
saying,  they  were  as  delightful  as  they  would  be  in 
contemplating  a  statue  or  bust,  a  head,  sculptured  by 
a  finished  artist  from  the  finest  solid  gold.  Beyond 
the  ordinary  pleasure  had  in  gazing  on  a  finished 
piece  of  sculpture  from  marble  there  is  here  added  the 

loved  may  be  compared:  "A  beauteous  youth,  who  eclipses 
the  charms  and  graces  of  the  houris  of  Paradise.  His  form, 
polished  as  the  box-tree,  erect  as  the  cypress.  His  locks, 
falling  in  ringlets,  sealing  the  mouth  of  wisdom,  and  arresting 
the  feet  of  discretion.  His  forehead  shining  with  immortal 
beams,  surpassing  both  the  sun  and  the  moon.  His  eyebrows 
arched,  and  his  eyelashes  shading  his  sleepy  eyes.  His  eyes 
beaming  mildness,  his  eyelashes  darting  arrows.  His  lips  smil- 
ing and  shedding  sweets,  his  lips  dropping  honey.  His  pearly 
teeth  between  his  ruby  lips,  like  the  lightning  playing  upon 
a  western  sky.  Laughing,  he  eclipses  the  Pleiades ;  smiles  and 
jests  dance  upon  his  lips.  Pearly  drops  hang  upon  his  double 
chin ;  upon  his  rosy  countenance  a  mole,  as  the  dark  ash  in 
the  midst  of  a  garden.  His  arms  like  silver,  and  well  propor- 
tioned; but  the  waist,  for  want  of  silver,  slender." 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  429 

pleasure  had  from  contemplating  the  same  wrought 
from  the  finest  gold. 

The  word  "locks"  expresses  the  forelocks  about 
the  temples;  the  word  "bushy"  has  received  different 
interpretations,  varying  in  their  shades  of  meaning, 
but  conveying  the  same  general  idea.  The  Septuagint 
translate,  "his  hair  is  like  the  young  leaves  of  the 
palm."  Dopke  renders  "palm  branches."  "There 
is  considerable  uniformity  in  the  shape  of  the  leaves  of 
the  palms.  They  are  generally  feathery,  or  divided 
like  the  plume  of  a  feather;  sometimes  the  leaves  are 
flag  like,  of  a  thin,  flexible  texture,  and  curl  towards 
the  extremities.  The  leaves  of  the  Jaqua  palm  are 
sixteen  or  seventeen  feet  long,  their  extremities  are 
curled  like  plumes;  the  ultimate  divisions  or  leaflets 
flutter  lightly  and  airily  round  the  slowly  balancing 
central  leaf  stalks."*  The  hair  may  be  very  aptly 
compared  to  the  fine  wavy  young  leaves  of  the  palm 
on  their  first  bursting  forth  from  the  sheaths  in 
which  they  are  contained.  The  idea  is,  that  his  locks 
were  full,  in  flowing  clusters,  like  waving  pendulous 
branches,  with  curls  rising  above  one  another  in  pro- 
fusion. They  were  black  as  a  raven ;  that  is,  of  the 
purest  and  jettiest  black.  So  Ossian,  "  Her  hair  was 
the  wing  of  the  raven."     And  the  Persian  poet — 

"Thy  face  is  brighter  than  the  cheek  of  day, 
Blacker  thy  locks  than  midnight's  deepest  sway." 

And  again — 

"Of  black,  e'en  blackest  hue,  and  unconfined, 
Her  shadowy  tresses  wantoned  in  the  wind." 

*  Humboldt's  Aspects,  318. 

37 


430  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

Ver.  12. — His  eyes  are  as  the  eyes  of  doves  by  the 
rivers  of  waters,  washed  with  milk,  and  fitly  set. 

See  note,  chap.  i.  15.  Here  the  eyes  of  the  beloved 
are  compared  to  doves,  rather  than  to  the  eyes  of 
doves,  on  account  of  what  follows.  In  Ps.  lxviii.  13, 
"  The  wings  of  a  dove  covered  with  silver,  and  her 
feathers  with  yellow  gold,"  there  is  reference  to  those 
brilliant  and  sometimes  golden  reflections  which  the 
lustrous  plumage  of  some  doves  exhibits.  All  in  their 
true  wild  plumage,  have  iridescent  colours  about  the 
neck;  and  often  reflect  flashes  of  the  same  colours  on 
the  shoulders:  this  is  expressed  in  the  clearest  light, 
by  saying,  that  these  doves  were  more  beautiful  than 
when  washed  in  streams  of  the  purest  water,  pure  and 
brilliant  as  though  washed  in  a  limpid  brook,  combin- 
ing with  the  transparency  of  water  the  whiteness  of 
milk.  The  same  picture  occurs  in  the  Gitagovinda: 
"His  passion  was  inflamed  by  the  glances  of  her 
eyes,  which  played  like  a  pair  of  water-birds  with 
azure  plumage,  that  sport  near  a  full-blown  lotus,  on 
a  pool  in  the  season  of  dew."  And  again,  "She 
whose  wanton  eye  resembles  blue  water-lilies  agitated 
by  the  breeze."  Doves  by  such  streams,  represent 
beautifully  the  pupil  of  the  eye,  surrounded  by  its 
clear,  healthful  white;  and  the  brooks  of  water  seem 
mentioned  for  illustrating  the  eye  as  the  fountain  of 
tears,  and  the  eyes  of  the  beloved  as  suffused  with  the 
tenderness  flowing  from  a  spring  deep  in  the  heart  of 
sympathy  and  love.  The  whole  comparison  repre- 
sents the  eyes  as  sparkling  with  vivacity,  purity,  and 
love   of  the   greatest   tenderness.     The   last  words, 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  431 

"fitly  set,"  are  referred  by  some  interpreters  to  the 
beautiful  setting  of  a  gem  in  a  ring,  perhaps  to  the 
precious  stones  in  the  breast-plate  of  the  high-priest. 
The  idea  would  then  be,  that  while  his  eyes  amid  his 
clustering,  waving,  raven  locks,  were  beautiful  as 
doves  sporting  by  the  transparent  streams  around 
which  gathered  trees  of  rich  foliage,  those  eyes  were 
brilliant  and  perfectly  set  in  his  head,  as  gems  fitly 
set  by  the  most  skilful  artist  in  the  finest  gold.  We 
prefer,  however,  to  render  the  whole  verse — '  His  eyes 
as  doves  by  valley-rills  of  water,  washed  in  milk, 
reposing  by  the  full  fountain  streams.'  The  idea 
would  then  be  that  of  milk-white  doves  in  a  rural 
vale,  reposing  quietly  by  rich,  full  streams,  flowing 
from  pellucid  fountains. 

Ver.  13. — His  cheeks  are  as  a  bed  of  spices,  as  sweet 
flowers :  his  lips  like  lilies,  dropping  sweet-smelling  myrrh. 

Besides  fragrant  plants  and  flowers,  the  Jewish  gar- 
dens were  occupied,  in  a  considerable  degree,  with  the 
growth  of  medicinal  shrubs  and  herbs.  The  word  bed 
here  means  a  bed  raised  throughout,  or  at  least  in  the 
middle ;  such  a  plat,  thickly  covered  with  sweet-smell- 
ing flowers  in  full  bloom,  was  a  most  delightful  object; 
and  the  spouse  laying  under  contribution  every  thing 
most  beautiful  in  nature,  says  the  pleasure  felt  by  her 
in  gazing  on  the  cheeks  of  the  beloved,  could  be  best 
illustrated  by  the  delight  caused  in  viewing  a  bed  filled 
with  fragrant  flowers. 

She  goes  farther,  however,  and  adds  force  to  the 
idea.     The  next  words,  "as  sweet  flowers,"  rendered 


432  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

in  the  margin  of  our  Bible,  "towers  of  perfumes,"  do 
not  seem  to  convey  the  idea  intended  by  the  original 
Hebrew.  This  word  generally  translated  "tower,"  is 
used  for  an  elevated  stage  or  platform,  in  Neh.  viii.  4, 
and  ix.  4.  It  seems  to  mean  trellises,  and  those  of  a 
towering  height,  covered  with  aromatic  flowers.  The 
whole  verse  would  then  read — '  His  cheeks  are  as  banks 
or  mounds  of  fragrant  flowers,  as  towering  trellises 
covered  with  aromatic  blooms.'  May  this  refer  to  the 
artificial  terraces  frequently  covering  the  hills  of  Ju- 
dea?  In  many  places  it  is  terraced  continuously  for 
miles.  Steep  hills  are  converted  into  numerous  hori- 
zontal beds,  rising  successively  till  the  top  of  the 
mountain  forms  the  last.  On  ascending  a  mountain 
pass,  a  traveller  counted  sixty-seven  terraces,  which 
occupied  the  whole  side  of  the  hill;  while  considerably 
higher  mountains  were  manifestly  terraced  all  over  by 
a  proportionally  greater  number.  These  terraced  sides 
formed  hanging  gardens,  rising  beautifully  from  the 
rich  valleys,  in  the  days  of  Israel's  glory,  when  the  scene 
must  have  been  as  fertile  as  now  it  is  desolate,  and  as 
beauteous  as  now  it  is  blasted.  In  this  passage  may 
the  spouse  therefore  say,  that  the  ruddy  cheeks  of  the 
beloved  excited  a  pleasure  like  that  felt  in  gazing  on 
beds  of  fragrant  flowers,  or  contemplating  those  ter- 
raced hills  covered  with  blooming  aromatic  herbs  ? 

"His  lips  like  lilies,  dropping  sweet-smelling 
myrrh."  These  words  illustrate  the  beauty  of  his 
lips.  There  may  be  a  reference  here  to  a  lily  of  deep 
red  colour,  mentioned  by  Pliny  as  much  esteemed  in 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  433 

Syria.  That  the  colour  as  well  as  sweetness  and  gene- 
ral beauty  of  these  lilies  is  referred  to,  appears  proba- 
ble from  the  following  allusions  in  oriental  poets: 
"Him  whose  lips  are  like  a  red  lotos  in  full  bloom:" 
"How  can  tulip-coloured  wine  be  compared  to  the  ru- 
bies of  thy  lips :"  "  I  meditate  on  the  fragrant  lotos  of 
her  mouth,  on  her  nectar-dropping  speech,  on  her  lips 
ruddy  as  the  berries  of  the  bimba."  See  chap.  v.  5, 
on  "sweet-smelling  myrrh."  Sir  Thomas  Brown  sup- 
poses this  refers  to  "the  roscid  and  honey-drops  ob- 
servable in  the  flowers  of  martagons  and  inverted 
flowered  lilies;  and  is  probably  the  standing  sweet 
dew  on  the  white  eyes  of  the  crown-imperial,  now 
common  among  us."  This  whole  comparison,  then, 
means  that  his  lips  are  beautiful  as  those  roseate  lilies, 
distilling  drops  precious  as  the  most  precious  myrrh, 
limpid  as  the  morning  dew. 

Ver.   14. — His   hands   are  as  gold  rings    set  with  the 
beryl :  his  belly  is  as  bright  ivory  overlaid  with  sapphires. 

The  idea  here  is,  not  that  his  fingers  were  covered 
with  golden  rings,  but  that  the  fingers  were  as  gold 
rings,  rollers,  or  cylinders,  and  the  nails  were  as  the 
beryl  set  in  those  rings.  The  original  word  tarshish, 
here  rendered  beryl,  means  a  precious  stone,  so  called 
because  brought  from  Tarshish.  According  to  the 
Septuagint  and  Josephus,  it  is  the  chrysolite — that  is, 
the  topaz  of  the  moderns,  which  is  still  found  in  Spain. 
This  is  a  precious  stone  having  a  strong  glass  lustre. 
Its  prevailing  colour  is  wine-yellow,  of  every  degree  of 
37*  " 


434  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

shade.  The  dark  shade  of  this  colour  passes  over  into 
carnation  red,  and  sometimes,  though  rarely,  into  lilac ; 
the  pale  shade  of  the  wine-yellow  passes  into  greyish, 
and  from  yellowish  white  into  greenish  white  and  pale 
green.  This  stone  was  highly  prized  by  the  Hebrews. 
To  them  no  illustration  could  be  more  beautifully  ap- 
propriate for  giving  an  idea  of  the  most  finely  formed 
hands,  with  fingers  and  nails  of  extreme  delicacy,  than 
to  say  they  were  gold  rollers  set  with  the  beryl. 

"His  body  is  as  bright  ivory  overlaid  with  sap- 
phires." The  word  body,  rather  than  belly,  is  the 
proper  one  to  be  here  used ;  it  means  the  whole  of  the 
body  from  the  shoulders  downwards.  The  sapphire  is 
a  gem  so  called  from  its  beauty  and  splendour.  It  is 
next  in  hardness  and  value  to  the  diamond,  and  is 
mostly  of  a  blue  colour  of  various  shades.  In  the 
choicest  specimens  it  is  of  the  deepest  azure;  and  in 
others  varies  in  shades  of  all  degrees  between  that 
and  the  pure  crystal  brightness  of  water,  without  the 
least  tinge  of  colour,  but  with  a  lustre  much  superior 
to  crystal.  The  Hebrew  word  answering  to  "bright" 
in  our  version  means  something  wrought,  artificial 
work ;  and  the  idea  intended  therefore  is,  that  his  body 
excited  feelings  of  beauty  like  those  caused  by  gazing 
on  a  curious  artificial  work  of  ivory  richly  inlaid,  even 
covered,  with  brilliant  sapphires.  For  expressing  the 
beauty  of  his  body,  the  highly  wrought  finely  polished 
ivory  was  not  sufficient.  It  has  a  beauty  combining 
with  the  whiteness  and  polish  of  ivory  the  splendour 
and  glory  of  sapphires. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  435 

Ver.  15. — His  legs  are  as  pillars  of  marble  set  upon 
sockets  of  fine  gold;  his  countenance  is  as  Lebanon,  excel- 
lent as  the  cedars. 

The  phrase  "silver-legged"  is  common  in  Persia,  to 
denote  elegance  of  this  limb.     Thus  Ilafiz : 

"  0  thou  whose  polished  legs  like  silver  shine, 
My  heart  is  ravished  as  thou  bring'st  rnc  wine." 

Ovid  speaks  of  delicate  marble  feet.  Aquila  and 
Theodotion  translate  this,  "his  legs  are  pillars,  or 
columns,  of  Parian  marble."  This  was  the  whitest, 
purest,  and  best — that  from  which  the  Grecian  statues 
generally  were  formed.  "  On  sockets,  or  pedestals,  of 
fine  gold."  These  doubtless  refer  to  the  beauty  of  his 
sandals.  Prom  the  many  references  to  the  beauty  of 
sandals  in  the  Latin  and  Greek  poets,  we  take  but  one 
from  Callimachus,  in  his  hymn  to  Apollo: 

"A  golden  robe  invests  the  glorious  god; 
His  shining  feet  with  golden  sandals  shod; 
Gold  are  his  harp,  his  quiver,  and  his  bow." 

Columns  of  fine  marble,  on  bases  of  pure  solid  gold, 
were  beautiful  to  the  view;  far  more  beautiful  were 
his  legs,  with  their  costly,  splendid  sandals. 

"His  countenance  is  as  Lebanon,  excellent  as  the 
cedars."  There  are  higher  mountains  than  Lebanon, 
but  none  more  truly  deserving  the  epithet  of  Moses, 
"that  goodly  mountain,  even  Lebanon."  Towering 
to  a  height  of  ten  thousand  feet  above  the  sea,  and 
deriving  its  name,  not  from  the  snow  lying  continually 
on  its  summits,  but  from  the  whiteness  of  its  limestone 
rocks,  "  Lebanon  presents  us  everywhere,  with  majes- 


436  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

tic  mountains.  At  every  step  we  meet  with  scenes  in 
which  nature  displays  either  beauty  or  grandeur. 
When  we  land  on  the  coast,  the  loftiness  and  steep 
ascent  of  this  mountainous  ridge,  which  seems  to  en- 
close the  country,  those  gigantic  masses  which  shoot 
into  the  clouds,  inspire  astonishment  and  awe."*  "  We 
were  chiefly  occupied  with  the  view  of  majestic  Leba- 
non. It  is  a  noble  range  of  mountains,  well  worthy 
of  the  fame  it  has  so  long  maintained.  It  is  cultivated 
in  a  wonderful  manner,  by  the  help  of  terraces,  and  is 
still  very  fertile.  We  saw  on  some  of  its  eminences, 
more  than  two  thousand  feet  high,  villages  and  luxu- 
riant vegetation;  and  on  some  of  its  peaks,  six  thou- 
sand feet  high,  we  could  discern  tall  pines  against  the 
clear  sky  beyond.  At  first  the  clouds  were  resting  on 
the  lofty  summit  of  the  range,  but  they  cleared  away, 
and  we  saw  Sannin,  which  is  generally  regarded  as 
the  highest  peak  of  Lebanon.  The  rays  of  the  setting 
sun  gave  a  splendid  tint  to  the  lofty  brow  of  the  moun- 
tain ;  and  we  did  not  wonder  how  the  Church  of  old 
saw  in  its  features  of  calm  and  immovable  majesty, 
an  emblem  of  the  great  Redeemer — '  His  countenance 
is  as  Lebanon.'  The  cedars  of  Lebanon  excel  those 
of  all  other  lands.  They  are  remarkable  for  the  mul- 
tiplicity and  length  of  the  branches,  few  trees  dividing 
so  many  fair  branches  from  the  main  stem,  or  spread- 
ing over  so  large  a  compass  of  the  ground.  No  tree 
in  the  forest  is  more  remarkable  than  the  cedar  for  its 
closely  woven,  leafy  canopy.  Its  mantling  foliage — or 
overshadowing  shroud,  as  Ezekiel  calls  it — is  its  great- 

*  Volncy. 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  437 

est  beauty,  -which  arises  from  the  horizontal  growth  of 
its  branches,  forming  a  kind  of  sweeping  irregular 
pent-house.  And  when  to  the  idea  of  beauty,  that  of 
strength  is  added,  by  the  pyramidal  form  of  the  stem 
and  the  robustness  of  the  limbs,  the  tree  is  complete 
in  all  its  majesty  and  beauty."*  Besides  their  uncom- 
mon size  and  beauty  of  shape  and  foliage,  they  send 
forth  a  balsamic  odour,  which  seems  to  be  meant  by 
"the  smell  of  Lebanon."  With  perfect  elegance  and 
taste,  the  beloved  is  compared  to  Lebanon  and  the 
cedars  for  dignity  and  grandeur ;  and  afterwards,  the 
spouse  is  compared  to  Carmel  and  the  palm-tree,  for 
beauty  and  grace.     Chap.  vii.  5. 

Ver.  16. — His  mouth  is  most  sweet;  yea,  he  is  alto- 
gether lovely.  This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend, 
0  daughters  of  Jerusalem. 

The  mouth,  or  palate,  together  with  the  corres- 
ponding lower  part  of  the  mouth,  is  put  for  the  voice. 
This  may  read,  'His  voice  is  sweetnesses;' — that  is, 
not  merely  pure  sweetness,  but  so  rich  that  its  excel- 
lence cannot  be  better  expressed  than  by  saying,  it  is 
a  combination  of  sweetnesses.  Every  possible  beauty 
of  sound  and  music  is  concentrated  in  the  tones  of  his 
voice. 

It  will  have  been  already  noticed,  that  in  this 
description  there  is  a  grouping  together  of  objects 
and  ideas  of  beauty  and  brilliancy,  dazzling  beyond 
expression,  and  beyond  any  power  of  conception  by 
the  unaided  human  mind.     These  different  clusters  of 

*  The  Scotch  Mission  of  Inquiry. 


438  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

beautiful  ideas  are,  like  the  various  flowers  brought 
from  different  places  for  forming  a  boquet,  drawn 
together  for  giving  us  an  idea  of  the  cluster  of  glories 
centring  in  Jesus.  Yet  they  are,  after  all,  further 
from  giving  a  perfect  idea  of  his  loveliness,  than  the 
various  flowers  gathered  as  specimens  into  a  cluster, 
are  from  representing  with  any  thing  like  faithfulness 
the  richness  of  the  tropical  landscape  from  which 
they  may  have  been  gathered.  All  the  things  here 
used  for  comparison  are  rich  and  radiant  with  splen- 
dour. The  head  is  more  beautiful  than  a  finished 
sculpture  from  the  finest  marble,  it  is  a  sculpture  from 
the  purest  solid  gold ;  the  eyes  have,  besides  the  live- 
liness and  tenderness  of  doves  washing  in  a  rural  lim- 
pid stream,  the  brilliancy  of  gems  elegantly  set  in  gold ; 
the  cheeks  have  the  fresh  hues  of  beds  of  blooming, 
odoriferous  flowers;  the  lips  have  the  elegance  of 
lilies  distilling  dew-like  myrrh ;  the  hands  and  fingers 
are  cylinders  of  gold,  the  nails  are  precious  stones ; 
the  body  combines  the  beauty  of  ivory  united  with 
sapphires;  the  legs  are  pillars  of  the  purest  marble 
set  on  bases  of  the  finest  gold;  the  countenance  has 
the  grandeur  and  majesty  of  Lebanon,  the  nobleness 
and  excellence  of  the  cedars.  Were  it  possible  for  all 
these  splendours  and  beauties  to  be  united  in  any 
individual,  how  far  would  he  transcend  the  fairest  of 
the  sons  of  men.  Combine  into  a  focus  at  the  heart 
all  the  ideas  and  feelings  of  beauty  gathered  from  all 
these  objects  of  splendour,  and  then  you  have  some- 
thing resembling  the  delight  had  by  the  believer  in 
contemplating  the  Lord  Jesus.     All  these,  however 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  439 

infinitely  more  than  these,  are  found  in  the  person  of 
him  who  is  "fairer  than  the  children  of  men."  With 
this  may  be  compared  the  language  of  Clytemnestra, 
on  the  return  of  Agamemnon  : 

"  Faithful — as  dog,  the  lonely  shepherd's  pride ; 
True — as  the  helm,  the  bark's  protecting  guide; 
Firm — as  the  shaft  that  props  the  towering  dome ; 
Sweet — as  to  shipwreck'd  seamen  land  and  home ; 
Lovely — as  child,  a  parent's  sole  delight; 
Radiant — as  morn  that  breaks  a  stormy  night; 
Grateful — as  streams,  that  in  some  deep  recess, 
With  rills  unhoped,  the  panting  traveller  bless; 
Is  he  that  links  with  mine  his  chain  of  life, 
Names  himself  lord,  and  deigns  to  call  me  wife."* 

How  greatly  was  the  beauty  of  the  statues  of  Minerva 
and  Jupiter,  by  Phidias,  heightened  by  the  fine  carv- 
ing, ornaments,  and  drapery  of  gold  overlaying  the 
figure  formed  with  such  majesty  in  ivory !  The  view 
of  the  Apollo  Belvidere  gives  pleasure  even  in  the 
simple  marble ;  how  much  more  thrilling  must  be  the 
impression,  could  all  the  splendid  ideas  here  grouped 
together,  be  superadded  to  the  majesty  of  the  simple, 
unadorned  marble.  Even  then  we  must  go  farther, 
and  add  the  idea  of  life.  The  whole  would  then  be 
no  more  than  an  emblematical  representation  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  of  him  in  whom  dwelt  all  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead  bodily.  As  the  Shechinah  was  surpassed 
by  the  glory  shown  forth  in  him  who  spake  as  never 
man  spake ;  who  healed  the  sick ;  who  raised  the 
dead;  who  was  transfigured  on  Tabor;  so,  infinitely 

*  Agamemnon  of  yEschylus,  828. 


440  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

more  is  the  glory  of  Jesus  when  on  earth,  transcended 
by  the  glory  now  investing  him  in  heaven. 

Hence,  after  all  that  had  been  said,  the  spouse 
adds,  "Yea,"  or  besides  all  these  excellences,  he  has 
so  many  others,  that  we  must  say,  "he  is  altogether 
lovely;"  more  literally,  'his  wholeness  is  delights' — 
his  very  constitution  and  nature  consist  of  pure  de- 
lights. As  God,  considered  as  exercising  kind  feeling 
towards  us,  is  said  to  be  'love;'  so  Jesus,  viewed  as  the 
source  of  happiness  in  us,  or  as  the  author  of  pleasing 
sensations  in  us,  is  said  to  be  'delights.'  These  con- 
stitute his  very  being  as  thus  contemplated;  there  is 
nothing  in  him  which  does  not  cause  delights.  There 
is  nothing  in  him  which  is  not  lovely;  and  there  is 
nothing  delightful  which  is  not  centred  in  him.  The 
whole  creation  is  a  manifestation  of  the  glory  of  God. 
The  Jewish  tabernacle  was  a  model  on  a  small  scale, 
fitted  by  the  same  Creator,  for  illustrating  the  excel- 
lence of  Jesus  Christ,  the  maker  of  all  things,  as  the 
Redeemer  of  men;  and  showing  forth  character- 
istics of  the  divine  nature  not  seen  in  creation,  and 
rendered  necessary  by  a  state  of  things  among  men, 
which  did  not  exist  when  the  world  was  made.  The 
ancient  Shechinah  assumed  different  appearances,  ac- 
cording to  the  character  of  God  at  the  time;  some- 
times exhibiting  the  terrors  of  his  justice,  as  in  the 
flaming  sword  at  the  east  of  Eden,  and  in  the  con- 
suming fire  on  the  top  of  Sinai;  at  others,  manifest- 
ing the  loveliness  of  his  mercy,  as  in  the  cloud  which 
dwelt  between  the  cherubim,  in  the  temple.  Under 
the  old  dispensation,  this  mysterious  cloud  was  the 


SONCt    OP    SOLOMON.  441 

typo  of  him  who  is  the  atoning  Redeemer,  and  "  the 
brightness  of  the  Father's  glory." 

We  come  very  far  short  of  attaining  full  views  of 
the  blessedness  of  Jesus,  by  taking  only  one  aspect 
or  representation  of  him  at  a  time,  instead  of  com- 
bining in  one  view  all  that  the  Scriptures  shadow 
forth  of  his  glory.     At  one  time,  we  view  him  as  a 
King;  then,  as  Almighty;  again,  as  a  Lamb  leading 
his  flock  to  living  waters ;  then,  as  the  light  of  that 
world  of  glory.    This  mode  of  unfolding  his  character 
is  necessary  and  wise.     But  in  studying  his  excellen- 
ces, let  us  not  detach  any  one  of  them  from  the  rest ; 
let  us  view  them  as  a  glorious  combination  forming 
together  one  whole.     The  King  crowned  with  many 
crowns  is  Jesus,  but  not  the  full  development  of  the 
glory  of  Jesus.     The  Shechinah  of  the  Holy  City  is 
Jesus;  but  this,  however  magnificent,  does  not  con- 
stitute our  Lord  as  he  appears  in  his  glory.     And 
these  detached  characteristics,  however  beautiful  when 
viewed  alone,  are  far  more  grand  when  seen  amid  the 
cluster  to  which  they  belong.     In  forming  a  concep- 
tion of  Jesus,  let  us  bring  together  into  one  person  or 
individual  all  the  detached  representations  given  of 
him  in  the  Scriptures — the  Son  of  God,  the  King  of 
kings,  the  King  crowned  with  many  crowns,  the  Judge 
on  the  great  white  throne,  the  Godhead  coming  with 
clouds,  the  Lamb  leading  his  flock  to  living  fountains 
of  waters,  the  Shechinah  of  the  holy  Jerusalem,  the 
tender  friend  weeping  with  his  people  in  sorrow  at 
the  grave  of  Lazarus,  the  first-born,  the  elder  brother 
of  the  saints ; — gather  all  these  into  one,  so  far  as  the 
38 


442  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

mind  is  able  to  do  this,  and  then  we  have  something 
of  what  the  Scriptures  represent  Jesus  Christ  as  he 
is  in  glory.  Yes,  add  to  these  the  splendour  of  the 
burning  bush,  the  grandeur  of  Sinai,  the  vision  of 
Isaiah  with  its  overpowering  majesty,  (Isa.  chap,  vi.,) 
the  wondrous  sight  unfolded  to  Ezekiel,  (chap,  i.,)  the 
vision  of  Daniel,  (chap.  vii.  9,)  the  cloud  of  glory  that 
dwelt  between  the  cherubim,  the  effulgence  of  the 
transfiguration,  the  appearance  to  Paul  on  the  road 
to  Damascus,  the  revelation  to  the  beloved  disciple  at 
Patmos,  the  ideas  of  beauty  grouped  together  in  the 
Song,  (v.  10 — 16,)  the  picture  presented  when  he  stood 
on  the  mount  of  Olives  and  wept  over  Jerusalem; 
when  the  mind  can  gather  to  its  bosom  all  these  ideas 
at  once,  it  can  feel  all  that  God  has  now  opened  of 
the  grandeur,  glory,  and  loveliness  of  Christ.  These 
rays,  small,  very  small  part  though  they  are  of  his  ex- 
cellence, when  gathered  to  a  focus  are  overpowering. 
When  thus  attempting  to  comprehend  even  what  is 
revealed  of  our  Lord,  the  mind  feels  its  incapacity, 
and  sees  the  wisdom  of  having  him  revealed  to  us  as 
God  has  done  it  in  the  Scriptures,  by  unfolding  a 
part  of  his  perfections  at  a  time.  We  thus  get  a 
better  comprehension  of  those  detached  scenes,  and 
ultimately  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  by  studying  thera 
independently,  than  could  be  done  by  having  them 
all  crowded  into  one.  Yet,  when  the  heart  has 
studied  them  separately,  it  is  anxious  to  rise  to  the 
highest  conceptions  possible  of  Jesus,  by  bringing 
these  clusters  of  glories  together;  but  it  finds  its 
powers  to  fail  under  the  effort.     These  gems  of  truth 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  443 

arc  as  fitly  set  in  the  Scriptures,  as  were  the  stones 
in  Aaron's  breast-plate;  and  with  what  effulgence  do 
they  beam,  when  the  Urim  and  Thummim  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  kindles  there  his  light ;  what  a  mellow  radiance 
do  they  throw  over  all  the  intermediate  truths  and 
spaces  of  the  word  of  God;  the  radiance  poured 
abroad  by  the  Spirit  through  these  representations  of 
the  glory  of  Christ,  lighting  up  all  the  other  Scrip- 
tures with  a  more  heavenly  glow.  And  they  light  up 
all  nature  with  a  beauty  and  splendour  before  un- 
seen. The  Holy  Spirit  causes  us  as  it  were  to  see 
lamps  of  heavenly  fire  burning  in  every  thing  around 
us,  until  all  creation  becomes  to  our  view  like  the 
golden  candlestick  in  the  view  of  the  worshipper  in 
the  sanctuary — every  created  thing,  not  only  every 
star,  but  every  tree,  every  flower,  becoming  a  lamp 
more  beauteous  than  gold,  on  which  burns  the  richness 
of  the  splendour  of  the  divine  glory.  To  the  eye  of 
faith  all  this  is  reality.  And  to  the  soul  whose  vision 
has  been  purified  by  grace,  the  works  of  God  convey 
sensations  more  delightful  than  could  be  experienced, 
were  every  bud,  every  blossom,  every  blade  of  grass, 
and  every  flower,  a  lamp  burning  with  living  fire. 

"The  clouds  that  gather  round  the  setting  sun 
Do  take  a  purer  colouring  from  an  eye 
Illumined  with  this  inward  purity : 
To  such  the  humblest  flower  that  blows  can  give 
Thoughts  that  do  often  lie  too  deep  for  tears."* 

Substituting  holy  sensibility  for  mere  literary  taste, 
and  the  inward  illumination  of  the  Spirit  of  grace  for 

*  Wordsworth's  Intimations  of  Immortality. 


444  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

the  love  of  the  beautiful,  we  may  use  the  words  of 
Wordsworth  for  expressing  nobler  emotions  than  they 
seem  to  have  been  intended  to  embody: 

"I  have  seen 
A  curious  child  who  dwelt  upon  a  tract 
Of  inland  ground,  applying  to  his  ear 
The  convolutions  of  a  smooth-lipped  shell; 
To  which,  in  silence  hushed,  his  very  soul 
Listened  intensely;  and  his  countenance  soon 
Brightened  with  joy;  for  murmurings  from  within 
Were  heard, — sonorous  cadences!  whereby 
To  his  belief,  the  monitor  expressed 
Mysterous  union  with  its  native  sea. 
Even  such  a  shell  the  universe  itself 
Is  to  the  ear  of  faith;  and  doth  impart 
Authentic  tidings  of  invisible  things; 
Of  Him  who  formed  and  has  redeemed  them  all. 
Thus  by  the  Spirit  led,  whate'er  we  see, 
Whate'er  we  feel,  by  agency  direct 
Or  indirect,  shall  tend  to  feed  and  nurse 
Holy  affections,  fix  in  calmer  seats 
Of  moral  strength,  and  raise  to  loftier  heights 
Of  love  divine,  our  intellectual  soul, 
And  help  the  great  Redeemer  to  adore." 

In  heaven  we  shall  see  that  blessed  one  combining  all 
these  visions  of  beauty  and  glory  in  his  one  person, 
together  with  innumerable  others  of  which  the  heart 
of  man  cannot  now  conceive. 

"Cease  then,  my  tongue!  and  lend  unto  my  mynd 
Leave  to  bethinke  how  great  that  beauty  is, 
Whose  utmost  parts  so  beautifull  I  fynd ; 
How  much  more  those  essentiall  parts  of  his, 
His  truth,  his  love,  his  wisedome,  and  his  blis, 
His  grace,  his  doome,  his  mercy,  and  his  might, 


song     or     SOLOMON.  445 

By  which  he  lends  us  of  hmiselfe  a  sight; 
His  goodnesse,  which  his  heautie  doth  declare, 
For  all  thats  good  is  beautifull  and  faire."* 

Thus  contemplating  our  adorable  Redeemer  by  a 
living  faith,  through  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  say  with 
humble  exultation,  in  the  language  of  the  spouse, 
"This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend,  my  com- 
panion, 0  daughters  of  Jerusalem."  So  far  from 
being  ashamed  of  him,  as  in  our  unrenewed  state,  in 
him  alone  we  now  glory.  He  is  the  absorbing  centre 
of  our  affections ;  his  company  is  the  desire  and  de- 
lkrht  of  our  heart. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Ver.  1. — Whither  is  thy  beloved  gone,  0  thou  fairest 
among  women?  whither  is  thy  beloved  turned  aside?  that 
we  may  seek  him  with  thee. 

Such  a  description  of  the  beloved  might  well  make 
the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  anxious  to  see  him,  and 
inquire  where  he  might  be  found.  A  judicious  hold- 
ing forth  of  the  character  and  loveliness  of  Christ, 
has  ever  been  the  leading  means  of  drawing  sinners 
to  the  cross.  The  salvation  of  souls  is  effected  by 
preaching  to  them  Christ  crucified.  Great  multi- 
tudes of  people  followed  Jesus,  because  his  fame  went 
throughout  all  Syria.  Had  those  who  saw  his  mighty 
works  and  were  the  subjects  of  his  healing  power, 
said  nothing,  his  name  could  not  have  been  known 
abroad,    and   many   whose   lives  were   spared   must 

*  Spenser's  Hymn  of  Heavenly  Beauty. 

3S* 


446  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

have  perished.  "Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world. 
Neither  do  men  light  a  candle,  and  put  it  under  a 
bushel,  but  on  a  candlestick;  and  it  giveth  light  to 
all  that  are  in  the  house.  Let  your  light  so  shine 
before  men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and 
glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  Strange 
that  there  should  be  such  backwardness  among  Chris- 
tians in  speaking  to  each  other  of  their  Lord,  and  in 
commending  his  grace  to  sinners.  Love  breaks 
through  this  icy  restraint,  even  at  the  risk  of  being 
looked  on  with  disfavour.  While  a  relief  to  our  own 
soul,  this  speaking  of  Jesus  is  often  made  a  blessing 
to  others.  When  the  woman  of  Samaria  "  went  her 
way  into  the  city,  and  said  unto  the  men,  Come,  see 
a  man  which  told  me  all  things  that  ever  I  did ;  is 
not  this  the  Christ?  Then  they  went  out  of  the  city 
and  came  unto  him."  John  iv.  29.  And  what  was 
the  result  of  her  so  doing?  "Many  of  the  Samari- 
tans of  that  city  believed  on  him  for  the  saying  of 
the  woman,  which  testified,  He  told  me  all  that  ever  I 
did."  Nor  did  the  results  of  this  conduct  stop  here. 
"They  besought  him  that  he  would  tarry  with  them; 
and  he  abode  there  two  days.  And  many  more 
believed  because  of  his  own  word." 

Ver.  2. — My  beloved  is  gone  down  into  his  garden, 
to  the  beds  of  spices,  to  feed  in  the  gardens,  and  to  gather 
lilies. 

All  the  gardens  mentioned  in  Scripture,  like  those 
in  the  East  of  the  present  day,  were  not  in  any  way 
connected  with  the  residence;  but  were  outside  the 
several  towns,  and  were  from  half  a  mile  to  a  mile 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  447 


distant  from  the  houses  of  the  persons  to  whom  they 
belonged.     Josephus  relates  that  Solomon  used  to  go 
very  early  in  the  morning  in  great  pomp  to  Etham, 
about    two    miles  from   Jerusalem,   a  pleasant  place 
abounding  with  gardens  and  rills  of  water.     In  going 
to  Jerusalem,  they  spoke  of  going  up  ;  in  going  from 
the  city,   they  spoke  of  going  down.     The  beloved 
had  gone  out  to  his  garden  to  enjoy  the  beauty  and 
fragrance  of  the  beds  of  spices,  "to  feed,"— or  as  the 
same  idea  is  expressed  in  chap.  v.  1— to  eat  its  plea- 
sant fruits ;  to  have  his  various  senses  regaled  with 
the  blooming  flowers,  the  luscious  fruits,  the  exhilara- 
ting  fragrance,  the  beautiful  scenes,  the  melody  of 
the  nightingales,  "and  to  gather  lilies."     Thus  Mos- 
chus,  describing  the  beautiful  Europa, 

"And  from  the  meads  thy  fragrant  hanks  that  hound, 
Plucked  the  sweet  lilies  gaily  blooming  round." 

And  Virgil, 

"Come,  beauteous  youth,  the  nymphs  in  baskets  bring 
For  thee  the  loveliest  lilies  of  the  spring." 

Like  the  seven  golden  candlesticks,  Rev.  i.  20,  the 
gardens  here  mean  the  churches  of  Christ;  and  the 
lilies  his  saints,  the  pure  in  heart  who  shall  see  God. 
The  spouse  knew  well  the  beloved's  place  of  resort ; 
and  felt  that  though  withdrawn  from  her,  he  was  still 
among  his  churches  and  in  the  midst  of  his  saints. 
Thither  must  she  go  to  find  him.  Jesus  may  with- 
draw from  the  soul  of  the  believer;  he  never  forsakes 
his  Church ;  and  when  our  hearts  are  forsaken,  we 
may   be   comforted   by  knowing,  that   if  diligently 


448  COMMENTARY    ON    TIIE 

sought,  lie  will  be  found  again  in  the  spiritual  garden 
of  his  Church,  enjoying  its  delights  and  gathering  to 
his  bosom  the  lilies,  his  sanctified  ones,  that  having 
their  connection  with  earth  broken  off  by  death,  they 
may  lie  nearer  to  his  heart  in  glory,  and  adorn  his 
heavenly  home. 

Ver.  3. — I  am  my  beloved's,  and  my  beloved  is  mine: 
he  feedeth  among  the  lilies. 

See  chap.  ii.  16.  Throughout  this  whole  scene  wo 
notice  that  after  awaking  from  her  sluggishness  the 
spouse  entertains  ardent  affection  for  the  beloved, 
though  his  presence  is  withdrawn.  Thus  in  times 
when  we  are  without  the  sweet  manifestations  once 
had  of  the  nearness  of  our  Lord,  love  to  him  may 
remain  ardent  and  unabated.  The  act  of  speaking 
concerning  his  loveliness  and  commending  him  to 
others,  as  in  the  close  of  the  foregoing  chapter,  is 
attended  with  the  happiest  results  to  ourselves,  and 
ends  in  our  attaining  again  the  full  assurance  of  hope 
as  here  expressed. 

Ver.  4. — Thou  art  beautiful,  O  my  love,  as  Tirzah, 
comely  as  Jerusalem,  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners.* 

The  very  name  of  Tirzah,  delight,  bespeaks  the 
beauty  of  its  scenery.      It  is  a  city  mentioned  by 

*  The  following  description  of  a  lady  by  her  lover,  is  given 
by  Kitto  from  an  old  Arabian  romance:  "The  lovely  virgin 
has  struck  my  heart  with  the  arrow  of  a  glance,  for  which 
there  is  no  cure.  Sometimes  she  wishes  for  a  feast  in  the 
sand-hills,  like  a  gazelle,  whose  eyes  are  full  of  magic.  She 
moves — I  should  say  it  was  the  branch  of  the  tamarisk,  that 
waves  its  branches  to  the  southern  breeze.     She  approaches — 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  449 

Josh.  xii.  24,  remarkable  for  its  elegance;  and  after 
the  revolt  of  Rehoboam,  chosen  as  the  royal  city, 
and  preserving  its  pre-eminence  till  Omri  founded 
Samaria.  Jerusalem  was  beautiful  for  situation,  the 
joy  of  the  whole  earth,  called  by  Pliny  the  most 
splendid  city  not  of  Judea  only,  but  of  the  whole 
East.  To  these  capital  cities  of  Judea,  rising  majes- 
tically on  its  verdant  hills,  with  towers,  and  walls, 
and  palaces  of  marble  white  and  pure,  does  the  be- 
loved compare  the  spouse,  as  Jesus  himself  compares 

I  should  say  it  was  a  frightened  gazelle,  when  a  calamity 
alarms  it  in  the  waste.  She  walks  away — I  should  say  her 
face  was  truly  the  sun,  when  its  lustre  dazzles  the  beholders. 
She  gazes — I  should  say  it  was  the  full  moon  of  night,  when 
Orion  girds  it  with  stars.  She  smiles — and  the  pearls  of  her 
teeth  sparkle.  The  sun,  as  it  sets,  turns  towards  her,  and 
says:  Darkness  obscures  the  land;  do  thou  rise  in  my  absence. 
And  the  brilliant  moon  calls  unto  her:  Come  forth,  for  thy 
face  is  like  me,  when  I  am  at  the  full,  and  in  all  my  glory. 
The  tamarisk-trees  complain  of  her  in  the  morning  and  in  the 
evening,  and  cry:  Away,  thou  waving  beauty,  thou  form  of  the 
laurel.  She  turns  away  abashed,  and  throws  aside  her  veil, 
and  roses  are  scattered  from  her  soft  fresh  cheek.  She  draws 
her  sword  from  the  glances  of  her  eyelashes,  sharp  as  the 
sword  of  her  forefathers;  and  with  it,  though  sheathed,  her 
eyes  do  slay.  Graceful  is  every  limb,  slender  her  waist.  Love- 
bearing  are  her  glances,  waving  is  her  form.  The  damsel 
passes  the  night  with  musk  under  her  veil,  which  draws  in- 
ward fragrance  from  the  fresher  essence  of  her  breath.  The 
lustre  of  day  sparkles  from  her  brow,  and  by  the  dark  shade 
of  her  curling  ringlets  night  itself  is  driven  away.  When  she 
smiles,  between  her  teeth  is  a  moisture  composed  of  wine,  of 
rain,  and  of  honey.  Her  throat  complains  of  the  darkness  of 
her  necklaces." 


450  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

his  people  to  a  "  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill."  A  hand- 
some Hindoo  female  is  compared  to  the  sacred  city 
of  Seedambaram.  The  words  "terrible  as  an  army 
with  banners,"  mean  terrible,  or  imposing  and  com- 
manding, as  a  military  host  drawn  up  in  battle-array 
under  their  several  banners.  According  to  Good, 
"  In  Persia,  one  of  the  most  common  epithets  applied 
by  a  lover  to  his  loved  one,  is  synonymous  with 
'awe-striking,'  or  'striking  with  fear.'"  This  ex- 
presses that  characteristic  of  beauty  and  loveliness 
found  pre-eminently  in  the  bride,  which  so  impresses 
the  beholder  with  the  sense  of  inherent  dignity  and 
majesty,  as  to  strike  with  terror  and  repel  bad  men, 
while  causing,  even  in  the  bosom  of  the  beloved, 
feelings  of  respect  and  veneration.  She  possessed 
something  more  than  beauty  —  beauty  allied  with 
majesty,  dignity,  and  grace.  Hence  the  strong  lan- 
guage used  in  ver.  5,  "Turn  away  thine  eyes  from 
me,  for  they  have  overcome  me."  See  notes  on 
chap.  iv.  9. 

On  the  last  clause  of  ver.  5,  see  chap.  iv.  1 ;  on 
ver.  6,  see  chap.  iv.  2;  on  ver.  7,  see  chap.  iv.  3. 

The  same  language,  with  little  variation,  is  here 
repeated,  that  was  used  on  a  former  occasion ;  as  if 
for  the  purpose  of  assuring  the  believer  that,  notwith- 
standing our  unfaithfulness  and  neglect,  and  the  con- 
sequent withdrawal  of  Jesus  from  us  for  a  season,  the 
love  of  our  Lord  remains  still  unchanged. 

Ver.  8. — There  are  threescore  queens,  and  fourscore 
concubines,  and  virgins  without  number. 

There  is  no  necessity  for  showing  at  large,  that 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  451 

among  females  of  an  oriental  court  there  is  one  supe- 
rior in  rank  to  the  rest,  and  like  Vashti,  distinguished 
by  wearing  a  royal  crown,  and  by  being  called  queen, 
in  a  distinguished  manner;  nor  does  it  throw  the 
least  light  on  the  significance  of  this  passage,  to  point 
out  particularly  the  difference  between  the  queen,  the 
lawful  wife,  and  the  concubines,  and  the  daughters  of 
Jerusalem,  here  called  virgins.  The  import  of  the 
passage  is  clear.  The  beloved  wishes  to  make  the 
spouse  feel  the  greatness  and  fervour  of  his  love.  In 
doing  this  he  not  only  uses  the  illustrations  of  the 
foregoing  verses,  but  goes  on  to  show,  that  while  he 
was  surrounded  by  a  numerous  retinue  of  beautiful, 
noble,  and  splendid  women  of  all  ranks,  she  stood 
pre-eminent  among  them  in  his  affections.  The  word 
"threescore"  is  used  in  chap.  iii.  7,  for  an  indefinite 
number ;.  and  he  intends  to  say  that  he  had  around 
him  countless  ones  to  love,  noble  and  dazzling  as 
queens  in  their  queenly  attire,  and  other  females  of 
great  attractions  and  different  ranks,  calculated  to 
captivate  the  affections;  amid  such  a  company,  could 
there  be  any  room  left  in  the  heart  for  love  to  her 
who  was  dark  as  the  tents  of  Kedar,  who  was  lowly  as 
the  rose  of  Sharon,  who  had  so  lately  treated  with  ne- 
glect him  who  had  so  many  others  to  love?  The  next 
verse  answers  this  inquiry. 

Ver.  9. — My  clove,  my  undefiled,  is  but  one;  she  is  the 
only  one  of  her  mother,  she  is  the  choice  one  of  her  that 
bare  her.  The  daughters  saw  her,  and  blessed  her;  yea, 
the  queens  and  the  concubines,  and  they  praised  her. 

The  meaning  is — notwithstanding  the  number  and 


452  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

personal  attractions  of  the  princesses  and  other  splen- 
did women  of  all  ranks  by  whom  I  am  surrounded,  my 
dove,  my  undefiled.  my  perfect  one,  she  in  whom  I  can 
see  no  blemish,  my  angel,  is  the  only  one  to  me ;  the 
one  that  stands  out  by  pre-eminence  above  all  others ; 
the  favourite,  the  sole  possessor  of  my  heart.  She  is 
as  dear  to  me  as  an  only  child  to  her  mother;  as  her 
darling  to  her  that  bare  her.  While  thus  dear  to  the 
king,  she  was  no  object  of  jealousy  to  others.  They 
all,  with  one  consent,  admired  her  beauty,  and  were 
not  backward  in  her  praise. 

Thus  in  Ps.  xlv.  "kings'  daughters  were  among  thy 
honourable  women;"  or,  as  Horsley  has  it,  "kings' 
daughters  are  among  the  bright  beauties  of  thy  court : 
at  thy  right  hand  the  queen  has  her  station  in  gold  of 
Ophir."  Perhaps  this  might  find  an  illustration  in  a 
modern  court,  with  the  peers  in  their  coronets  and  the 
peeresses  around  the  king;  and  she,  the  queen,  the 
most  beautiful,  and  the  favourite,  among  them  all. 
The  object  of  the  whole  is  to  illustrate  to  the  believer, 
the  place  held  by  him  in  the  love  of  Christ.  Our  Lord 
is  exalted  far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and 
every  name  that  is  named  even  in  heaven ;  around  him 
are  an  innumerable  company  that  no  man  can  num- 
ber, of  angels  and  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect, 
cherubim  and  seraphim,  holy  and  glorious  beings  of 
every  rank  and  grade ;  yet,  among  these,  the  soul  of 
the  redeemed  is  to  him  what  the  spouse  was  to  the  be- 
loved, his  perfect  one,  his  darling,  his  angel — as  we 
say  of  an  object  of  special  endearment — the  one  that 
stands  out  by  pre-eminence  above  all  others  in  that 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  453 

glorious  host,  loved  with  an  affection  such  that  human 
language  can  best  express  it  by  saying,  such  soul  is 
the  one,  the  sole  possessor  of  the  affections  of  his 
heart.     See  note  on  chap.  iv.  5. 

The  glory  of  beings  of  a  higher  order  is  unfolded  to 
us  in  the  appearance  of  the  angel  at  the  sepulchre, 
whose  countenance  was  like  lightning,  and  his  raiment 
white  as  snow ;  of  the  mighty  angel  who  came  down 
from  heaven,  clothed  with  a  cloud,  and  a  rainbow  upon 
his  head,  and  his  face  as  it  were  the  sun,  and  his  feet 
as  pillars  of  fire ;  of  the  angel  who  came  down  from 
heaven,  having  great  power,  and  the  earth  was  lighted 
with  his  glory;  these  are  the  noblest,  highest,  and 
most  glorious  order  of  creatures  mentioned  in  the 
Scriptures  ;  and  hence  the  Apostle,  in  Heb.  i.,  assum- 
ing the  acknowledged  principle  that  these  are  the 
most  exalted  rank  of  mere  created  beings,  establishes 
the  divinity  of  Christ  by  proving  his  superiority  to 
angels.  Yet  to  these  shall  the  redeemed  be  superior 
in  splendour,  in  rank,  and  in  glory.  We  shall  be  glo- 
rious as  she  who  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven, 
clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet, 
and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars.  We  shall 
be  made  like  Christ  as  he  is  in  glory,  glorified  with 
the  glory  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world 
was.  Who  can  know  what  was  that  eternal  glory  of 
God?  Who,  then,  can  know  what  is  the  glory  now 
enjoyed  by  Jesus?  Who,  therefore,  can  tell  what  is 
the  glory  awaiting  his  saints  in  light?  For  "it  doth 
not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be ;  but  we  know  that 
when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him,  for  we 
39 


454  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

shall  see  him  as  he  is."  And  when  the  Scriptures 
speak  of  him  as  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the 
first-born  of  every  creature,  the  creator  of  all  things, 
even  of  the  different  orders  of  angels,  Col.  i.  16,  as 
having  in  all  things  the  pre-eminence;  they  show  that 
while  Jesus,  our  Redeemer,  is  truly  God,  the  human 
nature  he  has  taken  into  union  with  this  divine  nature, 
shall  be  exalted  to  a  degree  of  glory  beyond  that  of 
angels ;  and  to  this  rank  and  glory  his  redeemed  ones 
shall  with  him  be  raised.  Thus  the  humble  virgin  was 
raised  from  a  retired  rural  condition  to  a  rank  in  the 
court  of  Solomon,  and  to  a  place  in  his  affections,  be- 
yond that  even  of  the  queens  surrounding  him;  thus 
was  the  Jewish  orphan,  though  a  captive  in  a  strange 
land,  raised  to  a  position  beyond  the  queen  and  all 
the  fair  young  virgins  in  the  oriental  palace  of  Shu- 
shan;  thus  was  Joseph  drawn  from  his  dungeon  to 
receive  a  ring  from  the  royal  hand,  and  be  arrayed  in 
vestures  of  fine  linen,  and  have  a  gold  chain  put  about 
his  neck,  and  be  invested  with  the  pre-eminence  over 
all  the  land  of  Egypt;  thus  was  Daniel  raised  from 
the  condition  of  a  Hebrew  captive  to  be  clothed  with 
scarlet,  and  have  a  chain  of  gold  about  his  neck, 
and  be  preferred  before  the  presidents  and  princes ; 
thus,  He  who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels, 
for  the  suffering  of  death,  and  took  upon  him  the  form 
of  a  servant,  has  been  crowned  with  glory  and  honour, 
raised  far  above  all  principalities,  and  power,  and 
might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named, 
not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to 
come,  crowned  with  many  crowns. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  455 


Nor  in  that  heavenly  court  of  the  King  of  kings, 
will  there  be  the  least  jealousy  felt  towards  the  re- 
deemed thus  honoured.     The  disposition  which  led 
John  the  Baptist  to  say  with  real  pleasure,  "he  must 
increase,  but  I  must  decrease,"  the  love  which  seeketh 
not  her  own,  will  there  be  the  ruling  principle  of  every 
bosom;  and  such  will  be  the  admiration  and  devotion 
towards  Jesus  by  those  holy  intelligences,  that  they 
will  rejoice  with  him  as  he  then  sees  of  the  travail  ot 
his  soul;  and  will  be  satisfied  in  the  advancement  in 
glory  and  honour,  of  his  ransomed  ones,  his  spiritual 
body,  even  beyond   themselves.      This  exaltation  of 
the  redeemed  cannot  diminish  their  happiness;  it  will 
add  thereto  by  the  new  field  opened  for  their  love  and 
adoration,  in  the  display  thus  made  of  the  character 
of  God. 

yER  10  —Who  is  she  that  looketh  forth  as  the  morning, 
fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army 
with  banners? 

Theocritus  has  a  passage  in  the  same  spirit : 

"As  beams  the  beauteous  face  of  dawning  morn, 
When  night  retires;  bright  spring,  when  winter  fades; 
Thus  Helen  golden  moves  among  her  peers." 

In  like  manner  Ferdusi : 

"Born  of  Afrasiab,  there  Manizah  shines 
Bright  as  the  sun,  o'er  gardens,  groves,  and  streams. 

And  the  Gitagovinda:  "My  soul  remembers  him  who 
disperses  the  gloom  with  beams  from  the  jewels  which 
decorate  his  bosom,  his  wrists,  and  his  ankles:  on 


456  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

whose  forehead  shines  a  circlet  of  sandal-wood,  which 
makes  even  the  moon  contemptible,  when  she  sails 
through  irradiated  clouds."     Also  Milton: 

"Eastward  among  those  trees,  what  glorious  shape 
Comes  this  way  moving,  seems  another  morn 
Risen  on  mid-noon." 

Thus  Spenser: 

"As  far  as  doth  the  daughter  of  the  day- 
All  other  lesser  lights  in  light  excell ; 
So  far  doth  she  in  beautifull  array, 
Above  all  other  virgins  beare  the  bell." 

The  beloved  still  continuing  his  commendations  of 
the  spouse,  and  showing  her  superiority  even  to  the 
queenly  beauties  of  his  court,  adopts  the  interrogative 
form  in  this  comparison,  for  giving  it  a  stronger 
affirmative  force.  Having  said  she  surpassed  those 
around  her,  he  proceeds  to  say  that  among  the  spir- 
itual host  of  heaven,  she  stands  pre-eminent,  as  the 
morning,  the  moon,  the  sun,  among  the  starry  host 
of  night.  The  angels  are  called  morning  stars,  Job 
xxxviii.  7;  the  saint  is  compared  to  the  sun,  the 
brightness  of  the  firmament,  Dan.  xii.  3;  and  Jesus 
himself  is  represented  as  more  glorious  than  the  sun, 
for  in  Rev.  xxi.  23,  it  is  said  the  Lamb  is  the  light  of 
the  heavenly  city,  and  so  much  more  glorious  than 
the  sun  is  this  light,  that  the  city  had  no  need  of  the 
sun,  neither  of  the  moon,  to  shine  in  it. 

Believers  are  now  in  a  process  of  change  into  this 
glory  of  Christ.  2  Cor.  iii.  18.  Hence  in  Job  xi.  17, 
"Thine  age  shall  be  clearer  than  the  noon-day;  thou 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  457 

slialt  shine  forth,  thou  shalt  be  as  the  morning." 
She  who  was  once  as  the  lowly  rose  of  Sharon  and 
lily  of  the  valleys,  who  was  black  as  the  tents  of 
Kedar,  is  now  glorious  as  the  morning,  the  moon,  the 
mid-day  sun.  She  is  here  compared  to  the  morning 
soon  after  day-break;  then,  to  the  moon  as  a  yet 
brighter  light ;  then,  to  the  full  splendour  of  the  sun. 
When  Diomedes  went  forth  to  battle,  the  goddess  of 
wisdom  distinguished  him  amongst  the  hosts  of  com- 
batants by  making  a  flame 

"BLaze  on  his  helmet  and  his  shield,  all  pure 
And  brilliant  as  the  autumnal  star  fresh  risen 
From  mid  the  ocean  waves."* 

In  the  spiritual  conflict  of  the  present  world,  the 
believer  bearing  the  helmet  of  salvation  and  the 
shield  of  faith,  is  distinguished  by  the  light  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  kindled  there  by  Christ  the  wisdom  of 
God;  but  in  heaven  he  will  be  invested  with  a  splen- 
dour by  which  his  present  glory  will  be  surpassed  as 
far  as  the  flame  on  the  crest  of  Diomedes  is  surpassed 
by  the  light  above  the  brightness  of  mid-day,  in  which 
Jesus  appeared  to  Paul  on  the  road  to  Damascus,  or 
by  the  cloud  which  overshadowed  him  in  the  trans- 
figuration. This  outward  glory  of  the  saints  in  light 
is  a  reality,  and  is  a  consequence  of  that  inward 
glory  first  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Splendour  is  more  inseparably  connected  with  holi- 
ness than  radiance  is  with  light.  Holiness  is  light- 
like purity;  and  we  may  as  soon  conceive  of  a  blazing 

*  Iliad,  v.  5. 
39* 


458  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

torch,  or  a  sun  without  splendour,  as  a  renovated  soul 
of  living  holiness  without  that  glory  which  shall  be 
revealed  in  us,  Rom.  viii.  18,  and  with  which  Jesus 
our  forerunner  is  already  crowned.  In  rearing  a 
triumphal  statue  commemorating  a  victory,  the  artist 
forms  his  conceptions  of  what  is  beautiful,  and  then 
embodies  it  in  marble,  which  can  be  at  best  a  mere 
cold  resemblance:  God  forms  not  an  ideal  but  a  real 
holiness,  after  his  own  image,  in  the  sanctified  souls  of 
his  saints;  and  then  embodies  this  in  their  spiritual 
bodies,  for  being  pillars  in  the  temple  of  their  God, 
living  triumphal  statues,  purer  than  transparent  mar- 
ble; for  what  must  such  statues  be,  when  the  very 
streets  of  the  city  where  they  will  be  placed,  shall  be 
paved  with  something  better  than  marble,  with  some- 
thing beautiful  as  golden  glass. 

Ver.  11. — I  went  down  into  the  garden  of  nuts  to  see 
the  fruits  of  the  valley,  and  to  see  whether  the  vine 
flourished,  and  the  pomegranates  budded. 

The  nut  here  referred  to  is  probably  the  walnut, 
which  Josephus  says,  grows  wild  on  the  borders  of 
the  lake  of  Gennesaret.  This,  the  vines,  and  the 
pomegranates  are  put  for  the  fruits  of  the  garden  in 
general.  Thus  Captain  Norden,  in  describing  the 
gardens  of  Cairo,  mentions  only  palm-trees  and  vine- 
arbours,  possibly  because  these  were  the  most  flourish- 
ing and  remarkable  of  their  productions.  Their  gar- 
dens were  usually  in  low  places,  in  valleys  on  the 
banks  of  brooks.  Say  the  Scotch  Mission,  "When 
we  reached  the  bottom  of  the  valley,  it  was  one  com- 
plete garden  of  fruit-trees.    The  vines,  the  figs,  pome- 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  459 

granates,  peaches,  citrons,  quinces,  and  lemons  were 
all  budding  or  ripening  in  a  most  luxuriant  manner. 
A  clear  brook  flowing  down  the  valley,  gave  fresh- 
ness and  beauty  to  every  green  thing." 

The  beloved  gives,  in  the  11 — 13  verses,  four 
statements  showing  the  spouse  what  were  his  feelings 
during  his  withdrawal.  He  says,  that  when  he  left 
her,  chap.  v.  6,  it  was  not  in  anger ;  but  with  kindly 
feeling  and  love  unabated;  only  to  withdraw  to  his 
favourite  place  of  resort  in  the  garden,  and  there 
amuse  and  occupy  himself  until  such  time  as  she 
might  feel  her  unkindness,  and  seek  again  his  pre- 
sence; he  was  ready  to  welcome  her  return  to  his 
bosom  at  any  moment.  This  language  viewed  as 
giving  his  feelings  on  leaving  her,  is  of  the  same  ten- 
der spirit  with  his  words  in  chap.  v.  2,  and  breathes 
the  tenderest  affection.  Surely  a  love  must  be 
almost  more  than  human,  which  could  be  thus  calm 
and  unabated  under  such  a  repulse.  The  love  of 
Jesus,  which  this  is  designed  to  illustrate,  is  indeed 
more  than  human. 

"His  love  no  end  nor  measure  knows, 
No  change  can  turn  its  course; 
Immutably  the  same  it  flows, 
From  one  eternal  source." 

This  love  is  our  life,  the  very  spring  of  our  being. 
Happy  for  us  that  its  exercise  towards  us  by  our 
Lord,  does  not  depend  on  our  merit  and  watchful- 
ness. Like  the  power  which  keeps  the  heart  beating 
unconsciously  without  any  act  of  our  will,  this  divine 
love  which  began  towards  us  while  dead  in  sins,  even 


4G0  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

before  our  being,  continues  to  follow  and  bless  us, 

even  when  unmindful  of  its  source   or  its  existence, 

and  when  unkindly  forsaking  the  Redeemer.     Even 

under  neglect  and  repulse,  Jesus  turns  away  from  us 

without  anger;  and  leaves  us  until  such  time  as  we 

feel  our  unkindness,  and  seek  again  his  presence  and 

grace. 

Ver.  12. — Or  ever  I  was  aware,  my  soul  made  me  like 
the  chariots  of  Amminadib. 

While  a  particular  explanation  of  this  passage  is 
very  difficult,  perhaps  impossible,  the  general  mean- 
ing in  its  connection  seems  clear.  We  cannot  under- 
take to  give  the  various  interpretations.  Dopke  has 
stated  and  reviewed  them  at  length.  Amminadib  is 
most  probably  the  name  of  an  individual,  whose  char- 
iots were  proverbial  for  swiftness;  and  the  beloved 
means  to  say,  that  often  thus  withdrawing  from  the 
spouse  without  anger,  with  chastened  affection — 
almost  unconsciously,  ere  he  was  aware,  his  soul  was 
filled  with  the  desire  of  meeting  her  again,  a  desire 
so  strong  that  it  would  have  carried  him  to  her  arms 
with  a  swiftness  that  could  be  illustrated  by  nothing 
more  appropriately  than  by  the  rapid,  smooth-rolling 
chariots  of  Amminadib. 

Such  is  the  feeling  of  Jesus  towards  us,  even  when 
his  presence  is  withdrawn,  and  the  light  of  his  coun- 
tenance no  longer  felt.  He  changes  not.  When 
obliged  by  our  neglect  to  turn  away  from  us,  he  carries 
with  him  the  same  "ardour  of  love  that  he  manifested 
to  us  in  our  happiest  hours  of  duty  and  affection ;  and 
when  our  love  has  grown  cold,  and  our  feet  are  wan- 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON. 


4G1 


dering  on  the  dark  mountains,  or  our  souls  slumber- 
ing in  the  indifference  of  carnal  security,  he  still  has 
an&  affection  which  makes  him  ready  to  come  and 
meet  us  at  any  moment,  with  the  swiftness  of  the 
chariots  of  Amminadib  ?  Yea,  rather  with  the  quick- 
ness of  the  wings  of  the  morning,  or  of  that  all-pre- 
sent Spirit  who  flies  to  the  bosom  of  every  repent- 
ing believer,  with  a  swiftness  outstripping  infinitely 
the  wings  of  the  morning  or  even  the  rapidity  of 
thought.  Though  seeing  it  necessary  for  our  good 
to  hide  his  face,  and  even  afflict  us,  he  has  all  the 
while  this  strong  yearning  toward  us;  and  every  act 
however  painful,  has  lying  behind  it,  in  his  bosom, 
this  deep  affection  and  tenderness. 

Ver  13.— Return,  return,  0  Shulamite;  return,  return, 
that  we  may  look  upon  thee.  What  will  ye  see  in  the  bhu- 
lamite  ?     As  it  were  the  company  of  two  armies. 

The  word  Shulamite,  or  Shulamith,  is  the  feminine 
of  the  name  of  Shelomoh,  or  Solomon,  and  means  the 
bride  of  Shelomoh,  the  prince  of  peace.  The  beloved 
calls  on  her  to  return,  or  rather  this  was  the  language 
expressing  the*  feelings  of  his  heart  when  separated 
from  her.  We  would  translate,  "Return,  return,  that 
we  may  see  in  thee,— What  shall  you  see  in  the  Shu- 
lamith? A  festive  choir  of  rejoicing  hosts."  The  in- 
terrogative form  is  thrown  in  for  giving  greater  em- 
phasis and  beauty  to  the  language.  The  beloved 
would  say,  that  she  whose  loveliness  in  his  eyes  he 
had  been  illustrating  by  so  many  comparisons,  was  an 
object  of  more  delightful  contemplation  to  him,  than 
bands  beautifully  attired,  mingling  in  a  sacred  dance 


462  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

on  a  day  of  public  rejoicing;  or  was  a  source  of  plea- 
sure like  that  derived  from  such  a  sight;  far  greater 
than  could  be  had  from  beholding  any  individual,  how- 
ever excellent ;  such  as  is  felt  from  gazing  on  the  com- 
bination of  lovely  forms,  crowning  with  their  elegance 
of  form,  shape,  beauty  of  dress,  and  grace  of  move- 
ment, some  public  festal  scene;*  more  beautiful  than 
when  on  the  shore  of  the  Red  Sea,  Miriam  took  a  tim- 
brel in  her  hand,  and  all  the  women  went  out  after 

*  In  the  scenes  described  by  Homer  as  portrayed  on  the 
shield  of  Achilles,  none  would  have  been  introduced  but  those 
deemed  most  attractive  in  his  age,  which  could  not  have  been 
long  after  the  time  of  Solomon.  Now,  he  has  given  such  a 
scene  as  is  noticed  in  the  text,  a  place  on  that  famous  shield; 
and  thereby  we  may  know  such  was  an  object  of  beauty  to  the 
ancients,  and  proper  to  be  used  for  illustrating  any  thing  which 
excited  deep  emotions  of  pleasure. 

"To  these  the  artist  added  next  a  dance 
Drawn  with  surpassing  skill,  such  as  of  old 
In  Crete's  broad  island  Dsedalus  composed 
For  bright-haired  Ariadne.     There  the  youths 
And  youth-alluring  maidens,  hand  in  hand 
Danced  jocund,  every  maiden,  neat  attired 
In  finest  linen,  and  the  youths  in  vests 
Well  woven,  glossy  as  the  glaze  of  oil. 
These  all  wore  garlands,  and  bright  falchions,  those, 
Of  burnished  gold  in  silver  trappings  hung: 
They  with  well  tutor'd  step,  now  nimbly  ran 
The  circle,  swift,  as  when,  before  his  wheel 
Seated,  the  potter  twirls  it  with  both  hands 
For  trial  of  its  speed,  now,  crossing  quick 
They  passed  at  once  into  each  other's  place. 
On  either  side  spectators  numerous  stood 
Delighted."— Iliad,  xviii.  590. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  4G3 

her  with  timbrels  and  with  dances,  Exod.  xv.  20 ;  than 
when  David  and  all  the  house  of  Israel  brought  up  the 
ark  of  the  Lord,  with  shouting  and  with  the  sound  of 
the  trumpet,  and  with  cymbals,  making  a  noise  with 
psalteries  and  harps,  leaping  and  dancing  before  the 
Lord,  2  Sam.  vi.  15 ;  1  Chron.  xv.  26.  As  in  chap.  i.  9, 
the  horse  is  the  emblem  of  nobleness,  energy,  and  ac- 
tivity in  the  believer;  here,  the  reference  is  to  ele- 
gance and  grace  of  motion,  as  an  element  of  beauty, 
while  in  the  perfected  saint  perfect  beauty  is  found. 
Thus,  in  something  of  a  like  train  of  thought,  Byron 
says — 

"  She  walks  in  beauty  like  the  night 
Of  cloudless  climes  and  starry  skies ; 
And  all  that's  best  of  dark  and  bright, 
Meets  in  that  aspect  and  those  eyes." 

As  there  is  dignity,  majesty,  and  grandeur  in  the  calm 
movement  of  the  evening  sky,  with  its  starry  hosts, 
and  therein  is  blended  the  beauty  of  darkness  and  of 
light;  so  this  poet  would  say  there  was  in  her  of  whom 
he  wrote,  dignity,  and  majesty,  and  a  blending  of  all 
that  is  beautiful.  And  in  this  passage  the  spouse  is 
compared,  if  not  to  the  starry  hosts,  to  two  hosts  or 
companies  rejoicing  at  a  wedding,  or  on  some  festive 
occasion. 

Poetry  furnishes  nothing  of  its  kind  more  beautiful 
than  the  scene  in  the  Fairie  Queene,  where,  in  a  spot 
of  singular  loveliness,  are  espied,  from  the  covert  of  a 
wood  bordering  "th'  open  greene," 

"An  hundred  beauteous  maidens  lily  white, 
All  ranged  in  a  ring  and  dancing  with  delight;" 


464  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

and  in  their  midst,  was  placed 

"  Another  damzell,  as  a  precious  gerame, 
Amidst  a  ring  most  richly  well  enchased. 
Look !  how  the  crowne  which  Ariadne  wore 
Upon  her  ivory  forehead  that  same  day 
That  Theseus  her  unto  his  bridale  bore, 
Being  now  placed  in  the  firmament, 
Through  the  bright  heaven  doth  her  beams  display, 
And  is  unto  the  starres  an  ornament, 
Which  round  about  her  move  in  order  excellent: 
Such  was  the  beauty  of  this  goodly  band." 

Now  the  spirit  of  the  text  implies,  that  the  spouse 
was  in  the  eyes  of  the  beloved,  an  object  causing 
more  pleasure  than  such  scenes  as  these.  With  a 
delight  of  which  this  is  the  best,  though  faint  re- 
semblance, does  Jesus  view  the  sanctified  soul,  and 
the  innumerable  multitude  constituting  his  redeemed 
Church.  All  things  are  present  to  him;  and  even 
now  he  sees  that  rejoicing  host  which  no  man  can 
number,  redeemed  from  all  kindreds,  and  tribes,  and 
people,  and  tongues,  standing  before  the  throne, 
clothed  in  white  robes  and  palms  in  their  hands ;  of 
all  his  varied  works  of  creation,  this  is  to  him  the 
most  glorious.  Is  it  strange  that  on  a  day  of  public 
rejoicing,  a  kingly  father  should  view  a  brave,  gallant, 
and  victorious  son  with  more  pleasure  than  that  felt 
from  the  presence  of  all  the  host  besides.  While 
king  Edward,  beholding  from  his  tower  the  battle  of 
Crecy,  had  proper  feelings  towards  all  his  valiant 
followers  who  surrounded  his  son,  with  what  especial 
delight  did  he  watch  the  progress  of  that  son ;  and 
after   the   victory,    amid    the    bonfires,   and   lighted 


SONG    OP     SOLOMON.  405 

torches,  and  rejoicing  of  the  soldiers,  take  the  Black 
Prince  in  his  arms,  and  say,  "  You  are  my  true  son, 
for  loyally  have  you  acquitted  yourself  this  day,  and 
worthy  are  you  of  a  crown."  Thus,  from  his  watch- 
tower  in  the  skies,  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  our 
friend,  our  beloved,  has  his  eye  on  every  one  of  his 
saints ;  and  when  our  conflict  winds  up  with  the  vic- 
tory over  death,  he  will  give  us  more  than  a  father's 
greeting,  while  bestowing  the  crown  of  righteousness 
and  glory  which  fadeth  not  away.  Like  the  virgin 
among  the  hundred  lily-like  maidens  of  Spenser, 
"as  a  precious  gemme  amidst  a  ring  most  richly  well 
enchased,"  the  glorified  soul,  the  redeemed  Church, 
shall  be  in  heaven  an  object  of  pre-eminent  beauty  to 
Jesus,  a  brilliant  gem  amid  the  golden  ring  of  innu- 
merable angels  encircling  as  a  crown  the  throne  of 
the  Lamb  slain. 

We  may  therefore  be  comforted  by  keeping  in 
mind  the  four  things  here  stated  concerning  Jesus  on 
leaving  us,  when  grieved  away  by  our  neglect:  He 
withdraws,  not  in  anger,  but  in  love ;  he  feels  without 
ceasing,  the  strongest  desire  to  return  to  us;  he 
earnestly  invites  us  to  return;  he  continues  still  to 
view  us  with  unabated  love,  with  even  greater  plea- 
sure than  the  angels,  the  hosts  seen  by  Jacob  at 
Mahanaim. 


40 


4GG  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Ver  1,  2. — How  beautiful  are  thy  feet  with  shoes,  0 
prince's  daughter!  the  joints  of  thy  thighs  are  like  jewels, 
the  work  of  the  hands  of  a  cunning  workman :  thy  navel 
is  like  a  round  goblet,  which  wanteth  not  liquor;  thy  belly 
is  like  an  heap  of  wheat  set  about  with  lilies. 

The  language  of  chap.  vi.  4 — 10,  is  for  encouraging 
the  spouse  to  come  on,  and  not  hesitate  on  account  of 
her  recent  neglect  of  him  ;  in  chap.  vi.  11 — 13,  he 
states  his  feelings  of  unabated  tenderness  during  the 
time  of  his  withdrawal;  the  object  of  chap.  vii.  1 — 9, 
is  to  show  his  love  towards  her  is  still  the  same. 

"Prince's  daughter"  seems  to  mean  daughter  of  a 
noble,  a  word  signifying  generous,  noble-minded ;  and 
in  the  thought  of  an  oriental,  is  closely  connected 
with  liberality  in  giving;  it  is  spoken  of  character 
and  conduct,  and  according  to  a  common  Hebrew 
idiom,  expresses  one  who  is  herself  noble,  the  same 
with  noble-woman.  The  whole  of  this  description  is 
a  fitting  portrait  of  a  woman  of  noble  character  and 
majestic  mien — the  original  words,  "prince's  daugh- 
ter," referring  to  the  nobleness  of  her  disposition, 
and  the  following  part  of  the  passage  setting  forth 
the  majesty  and  beauty  of  her  appearance.*  Having 
referred  to  grace  of  motion  in  the  last  verse  of  the 

*  With  these  descriptions  of  the  spouse  in  the  Song,  we 
may  compare  the  celebrated  ivory  and  gold  statue  of  Minerva 
in  the  Parthenon,  which  was  an  effort  by  Phidias  to  embody 
his  imaginary  conception  of  that  goddess.  "The  statue  stood 
in  the  foremost  and  larger  chamber  of  the  temple.     It  repre- 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  467 

foregoing  chapter,  he  naturally  proceeds  here  to  men- 
tion her  feet  and  the  elegance  of  her  sandals.  See 
chap.  v.  15.  Pindar  speaks  of  "the  silver-footed 
Venus;"  and  Milton  of  "Thetis'  tinsel-slippered  feet." 
Magnificent  sandals  constituted,  in  the  East,  a  part  of 
the  dress  of  both  males  and  females,  who  could  afford 
to  have  them  peculiarly  costly;  the  oriental  ladies 
were  especially  attentive  to  this  fashionable  ornament. 

sented  the  goddess  standing,  clothed  with  a  tunic  reaching  to 
the  ankles,  with  her  spear  in  her  left  hand,  and  an  image  of 
Victory  four  cubits  high,  in  her  right:  she  was  girded  with 
the  a3gis,  and  had  a  helmet  on  her  head,  and  her  shield  rested 
on  the  ground  by  her  side.  The  height  of  the  statue  was 
twenty-six  cubits,  or  nearly  forty  feet,  including  the  base. 
From  the  manner  in  which  Plato  speaks  of  the  statue,  it 
seems  clear  that  the  gold  predominated  over  the  ivory,  the 
latter  being  used  for  the  face,  hands,  and  feet,  and  the  former 
for  the  drapery  and  ornaments.  The  eyes,  according  to  Plato, 
were  of  a  kind  of  marble,  nearly  resembling  ivory,  perhaps 
painted  to  imitate  the  iris  and  pupil;  there  is  no  sufficient 
authority  for  the  statement  which  is  frequently  made  that 
they  were  of  precious  stones.  It  is  doubtful  whether  the  core 
of  the  statue  was  of  wood  or  of  stone.  The  various  portions 
of  the  statue  were  most  elaborately  ornamented.  A  sphinx 
formed  the  crest  of  her  helmet,  and  on  either  side  of  it  were 
gryphons,  all,  no  doubt,  of  gold.  The  ajgis  was  fringed  with 
golden  serpents,  and  in  its  centre  was  a  golden  head  of 
Medusa.  Even  the  edges  of  the  sandals,  which  were  four 
dactyli  high,  were  seen,  on  close  inspection,  to  be  engraved 
with  the  battle  of  the  Lapithte  and  Centaurs.  The  shield  was 
ornamented  on  both  sides  with  embossed  work,  representing, 
on  the  inner  side,  the  battle  of  the  giants  against  the  gods, 
and  on  the  outer,  the  battle  of  the  Amazons  against  the 
Athenians." — Smith's  Dictionary,  art.  Phidias. 


468  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

The  sandals  of  Judith  were  so  brilliant  that,  notwith- 
standing the  general  splendour  of  her  bracelets,  rings, 
and  necklace,  these  principally  succeeded  in  capti- 
vating the  ferocious  Holofernes ;  for  we  are  expressly 
told  that  "her  sandals  ravished  his  eyes."  Judith 
xvi.  9.  Lady  Montague,  describing  her  eastern  dress, 
says  her  shoes  were  of  white  kid  leather  embroidered 
with  gold.  According  to  Pausanias,  in  the  statue  of 
Olympian  Jupiter,  the  sandals  of  the  god,  as  also  his 
robe,  were  of  gold — the  latter  wrought  over  with  all 
sorts  of  animals  and  flowers,  particularly  lilies. 

Our  translation  of  these  verses  is,  "How  beautiful 
are  thy  feet  in  sandals,  0  noble  woman.  The  con- 
tour of  thy  person  is  like  the  rounding  of  a  necklace, 
wrought  by  the  hands  of  a  finished  artist :  thy  waist 
is  a  round  goblet  that  is  full  of  rich  spiced  wine: 
thy  body  is  a  heap  of  wheat  enclosed  with  lilies." 
The  principles  regulating  the  interpretation  of  this 
passage  have  been  already  explained.  Introduction, 
p.  40,  and  notes  on  chap.  iv.  1 — 7,  and  chap.  v.  9 — 16. 
The  great  misapprehension  that  prevails  concerning 
these  verses,  has  arisen  from  a  misunderstanding  of 
the  spirit  of  the  original.  That  seems  to  be  expressed 
in  this  translation.  We  have  shown,  that  as  ancient 
statues  of  the  gods  were  attempts  to  represent  to 
human  comprehension,  certain  ideas  entertained  con- 
cerning particular  deities,  so  these  descriptions  of  the 
Song  are  attempts  to  represent  to  the  human  mind 
the  loveliness  of  Christ,  and  of  the  redeemed,  by 
illustrations  embodied  in  language,  rather  than  in 
marble  and  gold.     The  statues  of  Olympian  Jupiter 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  469 

and  of  Minerva  by  Phidias,  were  highly  adorned, 
and  among  other  things,  with  drapery  of  gold;  and 
Cornelius  Nepos  states  that  it  was  customary  in  the 
statues  raised  to  conquerors  in  the  Olympic  games, 
to  represent  them  in  the  habits  in  which,  they  had 
gained  the  crown. 

The  "joints  of  the  thighs,"  did  the  original  words 
mean  what  these  express,  would  convey  a  finished 
idea  of  beauty  and  perfection;  as  the  joints  would 
then  be  compared  to  such  work  as  the  jewelled  wheels 
of  a  watch.  The  word  "joint"  means,  however,  round- 
ing, curvature;  and  the  two  words  express  the  beau- 
tiful symmetry  of  that  part  of  the  person.  There  is 
now  in  existence  a  famous  statue  of  Venus  at  Naples, 
to  which  the  Grecian  epithet  "beautiful  hipped"  was 
applied.*  The  word  "jewels"  means  necklaces,  things 
on  which  great  art  was  bestowed  by  the  ancients. 
As  Wilkinson  remarks,  "handsome  and  richly  orna- 
mented necklaces  were  a  principal  part  of  the  dress 
of  both  men  and  women  ;"f  and  some  idea  may  be 
got  of  the  beauty  of  this  allusion,  by  examining  the 
illustrations  of  them  he  has  given.  The  necklace  was 
made  sometimes  to  resemble  a  serpent  coiled  about 
the  neck  of  the  wearer,  as  was  the  case  with  that 
given  as  a  nuptial  present  by  Venus  to  Harmonia, 
which  was  ornamented  in  so  elaborate  a  manner,  that 
Nonnus  devotes  fifty  lines  of  his  Dionysiaca  to  its 
description.  This  same  necklace  afterwards  appears 
in  the  mythology,  as  the  bribe  by  which  Eriphyle 

*  Kct\Xl7rwyo;. 

f  Ancient  Egyptians,  vol.  iii.  375. 
40* 


470  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

was  tempted  to  betray  her  husband.  The  beauty  and 
splendour,  as  well  as  the  value  of  necklaces,  were 
enhanced  by  the  insertion  of  pearls  and  precious 
stones,  which  were  strung  together  by  means  of  linen 
thread,  silk,  or  wires  and  links  of  gold.  Smith  gives 
patterns  of  three  splendid  gold  necklaces  in  the  Bri- 
tish Museum,  that  were  found  in  Etruscan  tombs; 
also  a  wood-cut  exhibiting  the  central  portion  of  a 
very  ancient  and  exquisitely  wrought  necklace,  which 
was  found  near  Naples,  in  the  sepulchre  of  a  Greek 
lady.  It  has  seventy-one  pendants.  Above  them,  is 
a  band  consisting  of  several  rows  of  close  chain-work, 
which  we  now  call  Venetian.  The  specimens  of 
ancient  chains  which  we  have  in  ornaments  for  the 
person,  especially  necklaces,  show  a  great  variety  of 
elegant  and  ingenious  patterns,  whose  name  expresses 
their  fineness  and  delicacy  as  well  as  their  minute- 
ness. These  valuable  chains  were  commonly  worn 
by  women,  either  on  the  neck,  or  round  the  waist, 
according  to  a  statement  of  Pliny.  In  a  head  of 
Minerva  engraved  from  an  antique  gem,  we  see  a 
necklace  with  a  row  of  drops  on  the  under  side, 
which,  when  worn,  arrange  themselves  upon  the  neck, 
like  rays  proceeding  from  the  centre.*  These  facts 
enable  us  to  see  why  the  necklace  should  be  men- 
tioned in  this  connection,  and  with  what  delicacy  of 
taste  it  is  used  for  illustrating  the  graceful  outline  of 
the  lower  part  of  the  body. 

The  original  word  rendered  "  navel,"  in  the  Eng- 

*  Smith's  Dictionary.     Articles — Monilc  and  Catena. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  471 

lish  version,  expresses  what  we  mean  by  the  waist ; 
and  the  roundness  of  the  waist  is  compared  to  a  gob- 
let or  bowl  filled  with  spiced  wine  made  of  myrrh  and 
fragrant  cane.  The  Hebrew  word  seems  here  to 
express  what  was  known  among  the  Latins  and 
Greeks,  as  the  crater.  This  was  a  vessel  in  which 
the  wine,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  ancients, 
who  very  seldom  drank  it  pure,  was  mixed,  and  from 
which  the  cups  were  filled.  In  the  Homeric  age,  the 
crater  was  generally  of  silver,  sometimes  with  a  gold 
edge,  and  sometimes  all  gold  or  gilt.  It  stood  upon 
a  tripod,  and  its  ordinary  place  in  the  dining-hall, 
was  in  the  most  honourable  part  of  the  room,  at  the 
farthest  end  from  the  entrance,  and  near  the  seat 
of  the  most  distinguished  among  the  guests.  Craters 
were  among  the  first  things  on  the  embellishment 
of  which  the  ancient  artists  exercised  their  skill. 
Homer  mentions  among  the  prizes  proposed  by 
Achilles  at  the  funeral  games  for  Patroclus,  a  beauti- 
fully wrought  silver  crater,  the  work  of  the  ingenious 
Sidonians,  which,  by  the  elegance  of  its  workman- 
ship excelled  all  others  on  the  earth.  According  to 
Wilkinson,  "Many  of  the  ornamental  vases  of  the 
Egyptians,  as  well  as  those  in  common  use,  were  of 
alabaster,  glass,  ivor^y,  porcelain,  bronze,  silver,  or 
gold,  and  present  the  most  elegant  forms;  and  so 
strong  a  resemblance  do  they  bear,  both  in  shape 
and  in  the  fancy  devices  which  adorn  them,  to  the 
productions  of  the  best  epochs  of  ancient  Greece,  that 
some  might  even  imagine  them  borrowed  from  Greek 
patterns.     We  admire  not  only  their  forms,  but  the 


472  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

richness  of  the  materials  of  which  they  were  made — 
the  colours  and  the  hieroglyphics  themselves,  show- 
ing them  to  have  been  of  gold  and  silver,  or  of  this 
last  inlaid  with  the  more  precious  metal.  Gold  and 
silver  cups  were  often  beautifully  engraved  and  stud- 
ded with  precious  stones."  We  know  the  direct 
intercourse  there  was  between  the  region  of  Sidon 
and  Judea,  and  of  Egypt  and  Judea ;  and  hence  we 
may  know  the  goblets  used  by  Solomon  would  be  no 
less  splendid.  In  oriental  poetry,  there  are  allusions 
entirely  similar :  "  Graceful  is  every  limb,  slender  her 
waist.  Place  a  circlet  of  music  on  this  breast,  which 
resembles  a  vase  of  sacred  water,  crowned  with  fresh 
leaves,  and  fixed  near  a  vernal  bower." 

The  beauty  of  the  waist  expanding  upwards  into 
the  fulness  of  the  bosom,  is  therefore  most  aptly  illus- 
trated by  such  a  goblet,  to  the  natural  beauty  of  which 
is  added  the  beauty  of  the  richest  spiced  wine.  The 
beauty  of  the  form  below  the  waist,  what  we  often  ex- 
press by  the  word  body,  is  set  forth  by  "  a  heap  of 
wheat  enclosed  with  lilies" — a  heap  of  wheat  in  a  bed 
of  full-blown  lilies  rising  around  and  drooping  over  it. 
Putting  together  these  illustrations,  the  costly  goblet 
filled  with  choice  wine  and  covered  with  rich  devices, 
and  the  heap  of  wheat  in  the  midst  of  a  bed  of  lilies, 
we  have  in  the  mind  a  cluster  of  ideas  of  great  beauty : 
thus  beautiful  was  the  impression  made  by  gazing  on 
the  person  of  the  spouse.  Our  view  of  this  passage 
might  receive  confirmation  by  noticing  the  manner  in 
which  one  part  of  the  body  is  mentioned  after  ano- 
ther; first,  the  feet  more  beautiful  in  the  elegant  san- 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  473 

dais ;  then  the  contour,  the  folds  of  the  bridal  dress 
falling  around  the  hips,  graceful  as  the  curvature  of  a 
rich  necklace  wrought  by  a  finished  hand ;  next,  the 
body  like  a  heap  of  wheat  encompassed  with  lilies; 
then,  the  waist  expanding  into  the  bosom,  elegant  as 
a  goblet  rounded  gracefully  upwards,  and  filled  with 
the  richest  spiced  wine. 

Ver.  3. — Thy  two  breasts  are  like  two  young  roes  that 
are  twins. 

See  note  on  chap.  iv.  5. 

Ver.  4. — Thy  neck  is  as  a  tower  of  ivory. 

See  note  on  chap.  iv.  4.  In  his  Illustrated  Com- 
mentary on  2  Kings  ix.  17,  Kitto  gives  a  drawing  of 
a  group  of  modern  oriental  towers,  which  adds  to  the 
elegance  of  the  illustration  here  used.  He  remarks  : 
"  So  far  as  we  have  examined  the  Hebrew  word,  it  is 
always  used  wherever  it  is  possible  to  understand  that 
a  tower  of  ornamental  character  is  intended.  The 
great  beauty  of  many  of  the  forms  here  given  will  not 
be  disputed."  Josephus  mentions  the  numerous  tow- 
ers of  Jerusalem,  that  "  were  for  largeness,  beauty, 
and  strength,  beyond  all  that  were  in  the  habitable 
earth;  they  were  of  white  marble,  each  stone  was 
twenty-five  feet  in  length,  ten  in  breadth,  and  five  in 
depth;  these  stones  were  so  exactly  united  to  one 
another,  that  each  tower  looked  like  one  entire  rock 
of  white  marble,  so  growing  naturally  and  afterwards 
cut  by  the  hands  of  the  artificers  into  their  present 
shape."*     To  such  a  structure,  is  the  neck  of  the 

*  Jewish  War,  book  v.  4.  4.— "Here  and  there,  the  clustering 


474  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

spouse  compared,  with  the  additional  elegance  that 
would  be  imparted  by  substituting  in  the  materials 
ivory  for  marble. 

Thine  eyes  like  the  fish-pools  in  Heshbon,  by  the  gate  of 
Bath-rabbim. 

So  Philostratus  says,  "Thou  seemest  to  carry 
water  as  it  were  from  the  fountain  of  thine  eyes, 
and  therefore  to  be  one  of  the  nymphs."  Heshbon 
was  a  town  about  twenty  miles  east  of  the  point 
where  the  Jordan  enters  the  Dead  Sea.  The  ruins 
of  a  considerable  town  still  exist  at  Heshbon,  cover- 
ing the  side  of  an  insulated  hill,  but  not  a  single 
edifice  is  left  entire.  The  view  from  the  summit  is 
very  extensive,  embracing  the  ruins  of  a  vast  number 
of  cities.  There  are  reservoirs  here,  which  may  be 
those  mentioned  in  this  verse.  It  was  in  the  tribe  of 
Gad,  who  desired  this  country  because  it  abounded 
with  pasturage,  and  with  rivulets  and  brooks  from 
which  the  pools  of  Heshbon  were  supplied.  The  pools 
of  a  place  situated  in  such  a  country  as  that  around 
Heshbon,  would  be  likely  to  be  supplied  with  water 
purer  and  fresher  than  those  of  Jerusalem.  Bath-rab- 
bim was  probably  some  neighbouring  city  to  which  the 
gate  here  mentioned  led.  These  pools  were  remark- 
able for  their  purity  and  quietness — therefore  a  most 
fitting  emblem  of  the  clear,  limpid  eyes  of  those  who 

blossoms  of  the  orange  or  the  nectarine,  lay  like  foam  upon  that 
verdant  sea.  Minarets,  as  white  as  ivory,  shot  up  their  fairy 
towers  among  the  groves;  and  purple  mosque-domes,  tipped 
with  the  golden  crescent,  gave  the  only  sign  that  a  city  lay 
bowered  beneath  those  rich  plantations." — Crescent  and  the 
Cross,  vol.  ii.  154. 


SONO     OF     SOLOMON.  475 

are  pure  in  heart.  "  Some  varieties  of  gold  and  silver 
fishes,"  says  a  traveller  in  China,  "  were  seen  playing 
in  ponds  of  pellucid  water,  upon  a  bottom  studded 
with  pebbles  of  agate,  jasper,  and  other  precious 
stones." 

Thy  nose  is  as  the  tower  of  Lebanon,  which  looketh  to- 
ward Damascus. 

Warburton  says,  "In  the  magnificent  array  of  the 
mountains  of  Lebanon,  with  their  various  hills,  glens, 
and  crag-perched  villages,  each  of  those  acclivities  has 
a  little  tract  of  richly  coloured  vegetation  hanging 
from  its  shoulders  like  a  tartan  cloak,  and  wears  a 
fortress  for  its  crown."  This  tower  of  Lebanon  was 
probably  a  tower  built  on  some  part  of  that  range  of 
mountains  in  the  frontiers  of  Israel,  on  an  eminence 
overlooking  the  beautiful  valley  of  Damascus,  where 
"  the  vast  and  fruitful  plain,  with  the  seven  branches 
of  the  blue  stream  which  irrigates  it,  the  city  cm- 
bosomed  in  gardens  of  surpassing  richness,  and  over- 
shadowed with  the  deepest  verdure  and  richest  luxuri- 
ance of  oriental  foliage,  amid  which  rise  towers  and  a 
forest  of  minarets  of  every  form,  the  glittering  lakes 
Avhich  reflect  the  heaven  upon  the  earth,  the  majestic 
frame-work  of  the  mountains — all  combine  to  render 
this  a  terrestrial  paradise."  In  such  a  landscape, 
a  tower  of  white  marble  on  one  of  the  cliffs  of  Leba- 
non, would  be  an  imposing  feature — more  so,  from 
being  on  a  commanding  eminence  overlooking  such  a 
landscape  as  that  of  Damascus.  While  the  neck  of 
the  spouse  is  compared  to  the  tower  of  David  adorned 
with  a  circlet  of  the  costly  shields  of  heroes,  and  to  a 


470  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

tower  of  ivory,  her  nose  is  compared  to  a  tower  rising 
in  majesty  on  a  noble  eminence  of  Lebanon,  and  hav- 
ing associated  with  the  grandeur  of  its  position,  the 
luxuriant  beauty  of  the  plain  of  Damascus.  A  fine, 
well-proportioned  nose  is  most  essential  to  beauty; 
and  to  this  tower  is  compared  the  nose  of  the  spouse. 

Ver.  5. — Thine  head  upon  thee  is  like  Carmel,  and  the 
hair  of  thine  head  like  purple :  the  king  is  held  in  the  gal- 
leries. 

Philostratus  has  a  similar  comparison,  though  far 
less  rich:  "  Thy  head  is  a  large  meadow  full  of  flow- 
ers, which  are  never  wanting  in  the  summer,  and  dis- 
appear not  in  the  winter."  Carmel  is  of  beautiful 
shape,  about  twelve  hundred  feet  high,  and  was  in 
former  days  fruitful  to  a  proverb.  Hence  its  name 
Carmel,  signifying  a  "fruitful  field."  "And  when 
covered  over  with  vineyards,  olive-groves,  and  orchards 
of  figs  and  almond-trees,  not  on  the  sides  alone,  but 
also  along  the  table-land  of  its  summit,  would  not  Car- 
mel, worthy  of  the  name,  appear  an  immense  hanging 
garden  in  the  midst  of  the  land?  And  would  not  the 
beholder  in  other  days  at  once  understand  the  mean- 
ing of  the  beautiful  description  given  in  the  Song — 
"Thine  head  upon  thee  is  like  Carmel,"*  "And  the 
hair  of  thine  head  like  purple." 

The  ancients  used  the  word  purple  for  expressing 
what  was  most  beautiful  in  colour ;  and  when  it  is  said 
her  hair,  or  tresses,  is  like  purple,  the  meaning  is,  it 
was  of  the  most  beautiful  colour.  As  Porphyry  says, 
"  the  poets  are  accustomed  to  use  purple  for  beautiful." 

*  Mission  of  Inquiry,  235. 


SONQ    OP    SOLOMON.  477 

Thus  Horace  speaks  of  "purple  swans;"  Pindar  of 
"purple  wings,"  and  Virgil  of  "purple  hair."  And 
Spenser  has,  "  the  morrow  next  appeared  with  purple 
hair."  Speaking  of  oriental  females,  Lady  Montague 
says,  "  I  never  saw  in  my  life  so  many  fine  heads  of 
hair.  In  one  lady's  I  have  counted  one  hundred  and 
ten  tresses,  all  natural;  but  it  must  be  owned  that 
every  kind  of  beauty  is  more  common  here  than  with 
us." 

The  word  here  translated  "galleries,"  means  full, 
flowing  ringlets,  or  tresses,  so  called  from  their  falling 
down  or  flowing;  and  in  the  words  "the  king  is  held 
in  the  galleries,"  the  import  is,  the  king  is  captivated 
with  the  beauty  of  her  full-flowing  tresses.  Thus  an 
oriental  poet — 

"A  thousand  secret  snares,  like  links  entwined, 
Lurk  in  those  ringlets  waving  to  the  wind." 
The  meaning  of  the  whole  verse  is,  her  head  of  hair 
in  its  fulness  had  the  beauty  of  Carmel,  was  of  the 
richest  colour,  and  with  its  full-flowing  tresses,  capti- 
vated the  heart  of  the  king. 

Ver.  6. — How  fair  and  how  pleasant  art  thou,  0  love, 
for  delights ! 

Thus  captivated,  he  exclaims — "  How  beautiful  art 
thou,  0  love,  and  how  fascinating  in  attractions."  The 
beloved  had  enumerated  numerous  beauties  of  the 
spouse :  the  feet  more  beautiful  in  rich  sandals,  the 
outline  of  the  hips  graceful  as  the  curvature  of  a  most 
finished  necklace,  the  waist  elegant  as  a  costly  goblet 
filled  with  the  finest  wine,  the  body  like  a  heap  of 
wheat  encompassed  with  lilies,  her  bosom  like  two 
41 


478  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

young  gazelles  feeding  among  the  lilies,  her  neck  as  a 
tower  of  ivory,  her  eyes  pellucid  and  calm  as  the  pools 
of  Heshbon,  her  nose  as  a  tower  on  a  cliff  of  Lebanon 
rising  over  the  landscape  of  Damascus,  her  head  like 
Carmel  in  its  richness  and  flowers,  her  hair  full,  flow- 
ing, and  of  the  richest  colour,  and  entrancing  the  king 
with  the  beauty  of  her  tresses ;  having  thus  illustrated 
these  several  features  of  loveliness,  he  gives  further 
utterance  to  his  admiration  by  saying,  as  in  this  verse, 
that  to  all  these  was  added  the  attractiveness  arising 
from  manners  inexpressibly  fascinating :  how  beautiful 
and  how  fascinating  in  attractions.  Her  general  beauty 
of  form  and  elegance  of  movement  was  lighted  up  by  a 
living  spirit  within,  which  enabled  her  to  know  in- 
stinctively how  to  please  and  hold  the  beloved  en- 
tranced with  her  attractive  grace.  She  is  represented 
as  something  more  than  an  amiable  nonentity,  more 
than  a  mere  Grecian  statue,  however  perfectly  finished. 
With  more  than  mortal  elegance  of  bodily  form,  she 
combined  more  than  the  fascinations  which  in  an 
Aspasia  could  enthral  the  towering  intellect  of  Peri- 
cles. The  word  "delights"  expresses  the  characteristic 
which  enabled  the  daughter  of  Herodias  so  to  bewilder 
Herod  by  her  accomplished  graces,  as  to  make  him 
promise,  under  the  spell,  to  give  her  even  the  half  of 
his  kingdom.  It  is  recorded  of  Wilkes,  that  though 
the  most  homely  man  in  the  United  Kingdom,  no  one 
could  listen  for  a  few  moments  to  his  conversation, 
without  forgetting  his  ugliness  in  the  attractiveness  of 
his  address.  In  the  female  character,  this  is  far  more 
powerful  than  mere  inanimate  beauty.     Without  it, 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  479 

beauty  soon  grows  insipid  and  loses  its  charm ;  with 
this,  homeliness  is  forgotten,  and  the  individual  be- 
comes more  attractive,  the  character  more  beautiful, 
even  amid  the  decay  of  declining  age.  Hence,  how 
greatly  is  our  impression  of  the  splendid  character  of 
the  spouse  heightened,  when  in  addition  to  such  grace 
of  movement  and  beauty  of  form,  she  is  said  to  possess 
manners  so  fascinating  and  attractive. 

Ver.  7. — This  thy  stature  is  like  to  a  palm-tree,  and 
thy  breasts  to  clusters  of  grapes. 

In  this  and  almost  all  other  Asiatic  poems,  the  true 
eastern  beauty  is  represented  as  being  light  as  a  fawn, 
tall  as  a  cypress  or  cedar,  slender  as  an  arrow,  erect 
as  a  palm-tree.  The  elegant  slenderness  of  the  beau- 
ful  Kadha  is  particularly  mentioned,  and  repeated  in 
frequent  choruses: — "Surely  thou  descendest  from 
heaven,  0  slender  damsel,  attended  by  a  company  of 
youthful  goddesses ;  and  all  their  beauties  are  collect- 
ed in  thee."  The  cedar,  the  cypress,  the  pine,  and 
the  palm-tree,  from  their  general  beauty,  and  more 
especially  their  erect  and  stately  growth,  oifer  a  com- 
mon source  of  imagery  for  elegance  and  dignity  of 
person  among  oriental  poets.  Thus  Hafiz — "Like 
the  reed,  my  heart  trembles  to  possess  that  soft  wav- 
ing pine-tree:"  and  another,  "The  graceful  cypress 
yields  to  thee  in  grace."  Homer  compares  the  beau- 
tiful Nausicaa  to  a  palm : 

"Thus  seems  the  palm  with  stately  honours  crown' d 
By  Phcebus'  altars;  thus  o'erlooks  the  ground, 
The  pride  of  Delos."* 

*  Odyssey,  vi.  162. 


480  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

Humboldt  says,  "Palms  are  the  loftiest  and  noblest  of 
all  vegetable  forms,  that  to  which  the  prize  of  beauty 
has  been  assigned  by  the  concurrent  voice  of  all  ages. 
Smooth  and  polished  stems  of  palms,  carefully  meas- 
ured by  me,  had  attained  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
two  English  feet  in  height.  The  port  and  physiog- 
nomy of  palms  have  a  grandeur  of  character  very 
difficult  to  convey  by  words.  Their  lofty,  slender, 
ringed  stems,  terminate  in  aspiring  and  shining  either 
fan-like  or  pinnated  foliage.  The  leaves  are  some- 
times of  a  dark  and  shining  green,  at  others  of  a  sil- 
very white  on  the  under  side;  sometimes  the  middle 
of  the  fan  or  palmate  leaf  is  ornamented  with  concen- 
tric yellowish  or  bluish  stripes,  like  a  peacock's  tail, 
and  the  leaves  are  flag-like,  of  a  thinner  and  more 
flexible  texture,  and  curl  towards  the  extremities, 
while  there  is  a  fine  play  of  light  from  the  sun-beams 
falling  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  leaves.  The  pe- 
culiarly majestic  character  of  palms  is  given,  not  only 
by  their  lofty  stems,  but  also  in  a  very  high  degree,  by 
the  direction  of  the  leaves.  The  more  upright  the  di- 
rection of  the  leaves,  or,  in  other  words,  the  more  acute 
the  angles  which  they  form  with  the  upper  part  of  the 
stem,  the  grander  and  more  imposing  is  the  general 
appearance  of  the  tree.  The  fruits  are  large,  egg- 
shaped,  and  beautifully  coloured,  resembling  peaches, 
and  tinged  with  a  golden  yellow,  mingled  with  a  rose- 
ate crimson.  Seventy  or  eighty  of  them  form  enor- 
mous pendulous  branches,  of  which  each  tree  annually 
ripens  three.  This  fine  tree,  the  Piriguao  palm,  might 
be  called  the  peach-palm.    The  fleshy  fruits  are,  from 


SONG     OF    SOLOMON.  481 

the  luxuriance  of  vegetation,  most  often  devoid  of 
seeds,  and  offer  to  the  natives  a  farinaceous  food,  as 
yellow  as  the  yolk  of  an  egg,  slightly  saccharine,  and 
extremely  nutritious."* 

The  original  word  means  simply  clusters,  and  refers 
to  the  palm  instead  of  the  vine.     When  therefore  the 
beloved  compares  the  stature  of  the  spouse  to  a  palm- 
tree,  and  her  breast   to   its    clusters,  he   gives   the 
strongest  possible  illustration  of  her  beauty.     Now, 
the  Holy  Spirit  has  grouped  these  things  together 
for  enabling  us  to  get  some  idea  of  the  beauty  which 
shall  be  revealed  in  the  saints,  and  is  already  seen  in 
them  by  Jesus.     He  does  not  merely  say,  we  are 
beautiful  in  his  eyes,  as  is  the  highest  development  of 
female  beauty  to  us ;  but  taking  the  most  beautiful 
human  form,  cluster  around  it  all  the  ideas  of  splen- 
dour drawn  from  feet  with  magnificent  sandals,  the 
splendid  curvature  of  the  most  finished  necklaces,  the 
golden  goblet  filled  with  fragrant  wine,  the  heap  of 
newly  harvested  wheat  set  about  with  lilies,  the  two 
young  twin  roes  feeding  among  the  lilies,  the  tower 
of  ivory,  the  pools  in  Heshbon,  the  marble  tower  on 
a  cliff  of  Lebanon,  looking  towards  Damascus,  Car- 
mel    covered   with   flowers,    the   palm-tree   with   its 
golden  clusters,  to  these,  add  the  delights  springing 
from  the  attractions  of  most  accomplished  manners 
and  a  loving  heart;  when  we  can  form  an  idea  of  the 
ecstasy  thrilling  the  soul,  as  all  these  different  objects 
pour  their  star-like  radiance  of  beauty  bright  upon 

*  Humboldt's  Aspects,  209. 
41* 


482  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

the  heart — then  and  then  only,  can  we  have  some 
conception  of  the  beauty,  attractiveness,  and  loveli- 
ness, seen  in  his  redeemed  and  sanctified  people  by 
our  adored  Lord.  As  the  eye  turned  towards  the 
sun  is  dazzled,  and  cannot  take  in  the  radiance; 
so  the  mind  is  dazzled  with  this  beauty,  and  unable 
fully  to  comprehend  it.  For  the  love  of  Christ  pass- 
eth  knowledge.  Of  that  love  these  brilliant  compa- 
risons are  the  illustration  and  nothing  more. 

Yet,  if  the  saint  is  the  bride  of  the  Lamb,  it  must 
be  expected  he  would  thus  view  us,  and  thus  love  us. 
And  as  we  naturally  desire  and  try  to  remove  every 
thing  unpleasant  and  like  a  failing  in  one  thus  loved 
— Jesus  is  doing  even  this  for  us  in  sanctification. 
The  diamond,  though  exceeding  in  value  more  than  a 
hundred  thousand  times  its  mass  in  gold,  the  most 
cherished  treasure  of  kings  and  the  most  brilliant 
ornament  of  their  crown,  is  of  all  precious  stones 
"the  meanest  in  its  elements,  the  weakest  in  its 
structure,  and  the  most  perishable  in  its  nature,  a 
lump  of  coal,  which  it  reduces  to  a  cinder  and  dissi- 
pates into  that  insalubrious  gas,  which  ascends  from 
the  most  putrid  marsh;"  its  native  bed  is  among 
rough  valleys,  barren  rocks,  and  desolate  regions. 
He  who  can  take  such  elements,  so  valueless,  and 
perishable  in  themselves,  and  form  them  into  a  bril- 
liant so  dazzling,  so  precious,  and  so  enduring,  can 
take  such  elements  as  those  found  in  the  nature  of 
fallen  man,  an  offcast  in  this  world  of  pollution,  and 
form  them  into  a  gem  which  shall  be  the  brightest 
ornament  of  heaven,  and  a  peculiar  treasure  of  the 


S  0  N  a    OF    SOLOMON.  483 

King  of  kings,  set  in  the  very  front  of  his  crown, 
worn  on  his  heart. 

Ver.  8,  9. — I  said  I  will  go  up  to  the  palm-tree,  I  will 
take  hold  of  the  houghs  thereof:  now  also  thy  breasts  shall 
be  as  clusters  of  the  vine,  and  the  smell  of  thy  nose  like 
apples;*  and  the  roof  of  thy  mouth  like  the  best  wine  for 
my  beloved,  that  goeth  down  sweetly,  causing  the  lips  of 
those  that  are  asleep  to  speak. 

Having  thus  spoken  of  the  loveliness  of  the  spouse, 
the  beloved  here  expresses  the  wish  to  gather  her  to 
his  bosom,  and  assures  her  how  agreeable  her  pre- 
sence must  be  to  him.  These  verses  are  but  a  state- 
ment of  these  ideas,  in  the  highly  figurative,  language 
of  the  orientals.  The  smell  of  the  fruit  of  the  citron- 
tree,  for  that  is  here  meant  by  apples,  was  delight- 
fully fragrant.  The  "roof  of  the  mouth"  is  the  same 
Hebrew  word  with  that  translated  "mouth"  in  chap, 
v.  16,  and  means  the  palate,  put  by  a  common  figure 
for  the  voice  itself.  The  remainder  of  the  ninth 
verse  is  not  obscure  in  the  general  meaning,  though 
it   is  difficult   to  explain   satisfactorily  some  peculi- 

*  "Formerly  it  was  usual  to  anoint  the  nostrils,  which  was 
reckoned  very  healthful  and  refreshing  to  the  head;  as  well  as 
was  done,  that  they  might  give  the  more  agreeable  smell:  and 
some  sort  of  ointments,  it  seems,  gave  a  smell  like  that  of 
apples,  which  in  some  is  very  grateful  and  delightful ;  and 
Cicero  observes,  that  the  plenty  and  variety  of  apples,  their 
pleasant  taste  and  smell,  show  that  they  were  only  made  for 
man:  and  indeed  there  was  an  ointment  made  of  them,  called 
melinum;  so  that  the  nostrils,  being  anointed  with  it,  might 
well  be  said  to  smell  apples;  and  which  was  accounted  one  of 
the  best."—  Gill. 


484  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

aritics  here  found  in  the  original.  We  translate, '  like 
that  best  wine  for  my  best  loved  friend,  which  flows 
pure,  and  causes  even  the  lips  of  those  who  are 
asleep  to  move  gently.'  The  meaning  seems  to  be, 
that  the  voice  of  the  spouse  was  pleasant  as  the  best 
wine,  such  as  Solomon  kept  for  some  special  friend, 
and  which  was  so  mild  and  rich  as  to  go  down 
sweetly,  producing  effects  that  continued  long,  and 
were  so  pleasant  as  to  make  the  lips  move  and  gently 
murmur  in  sleep.*  "A  dream  cometh  through  the 
multitude  of  business."  Eccl.  v.  3.  As  the  thoughts 
and  things  which  have  engaged  our  attention  during 
the  day,  give  a  colouring  to  the  mind  during  sleep, 
and  a  direction  to  our  dreams ;  so  this  wine  was  so 

*  Interpreters  are  divided  concerning  this"  passage;  and 
though  the  general  meaning  is  perfectly  clear,  there  can  hardly 
be  an  exposition  given  against  which  there  may  not  be  brought 
some  objection.  This  word,  "beloved,"  is  indeed  never  ap- 
plied to  the  spouse,  but  always  to  the  bridegroom  ;  and  hence, 
even  in  this  connection,  designates  a  cherished  friend.  The 
ordinary  import  of  the  Hebrew  word  is  one  beloved,  an  ac- 
quaintance, a  friend,  a  friend  of  the  family,  an  intimate  friend. 
The  speaker  wishing  to  illustrate  the  pleasantness  of  the  voice 
of  the  spouse,  does  therefore  say,  that  it  is  like  the  delicious 
wine  which  he  kept  for  a  most  cherished  friend — referring  not 
to  the  spouse,  but  to  some  well-loved  associate  in  the  circle  of 
his  acquaintances.  This  seems  to  remove  the  difficulty,  and 
set  aside  the  necessity  for  dividing  the  passage  so  abruptly  as 
is  done  by  Rossenrnuller,  Delitzsch,  and  Dopke,  who  suppose 
the  beloved  to  speak  until  the  words,  "like  the  best  wine," 
and  then  the  spouse  to  interrupt  him  by  taking  the  sentence 
unfinished  from  his  mouth,  and  saying,  "that  goeth  sweetly 
to  my  beloved,  &c." 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  485 

mildly  fitted  to  the  tone  of  the  system,  was  so  deli- 
cious as  to  produce  effects  that  continued  during 
sleep,  and  caused  pleasant  dreams,  and  murmurs  to 
steal  over  the  lips  of  the  slumbering,  expressive  of  a 
pleasantness  yet  diffused  by  that  good  wine  through 
our  whole  constitution.  In  accordance  with  this,  is 
the  representation  of  Mercy's  dream  by  Bunyan,  in 
the  Pilgrim's  Progress.  The  comparison  is  that  of  a 
delightful  voice  and  its  effects  on  the  heart,  to  such 
wine.  As  the  beloved  says  in  chap.  ii.  14,  "Sweet 
is  thy  voice,"  and  as  his  love  is  said  to  be  better  than 
wine,  the  most  delightful  of  the  pleasures  of  sense — 
these  words  show  that  nothing  can  be  more  pleasant 
to  Jesus  than  the  voice  of  his  redeemed.  See  chap, 
ii.  14. 

And  will  our  Lord  thus  take  us  to  his  bosom?  "He 
shall  gather  the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  carry  them 
in  his  bosom,"  Isa.  xl.  11;  and  every  saint  shall  be 
treated  with  affection  great  as  that  shown  to  the  be- 
loved disciple  who  leaned  on  Jesus'  bosom  at  the  first 
sacramental  supper.  At  the  marriage  supper  of  the 
Lamb,  when  the  beloved  drinks  with  us  the  new  wine 
in  his  Father's  kingdom,  to  that  bosom  shall  we  all  be 
gathered;  and  if  oppressed  with  a  sense  of  unworthi- 
ness,  we  would  know  how  agreeable  our  presence  will 
be  to  him,  we  find  the  answer  here  given  with  a  ful- 
ness leaving  nothing  more  to  be  desired.  In  the  state 
of  heart  here  represented,  is  fulfilled  the  prayer  of  the 
Apostle,  "That  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by 
faith ;  that  ye  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may 
know  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge,  that 


•486  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God."  Eph. 
iii.  17. 

With  this  verse  ends  the  general  division  of  the 
Song,  embracing  the  motives  addressed  to  the  soul  for 
winning  it  away  from  earth,  and  particularly  those 
drawn  from  the  greatness  of  the  love  of  Christ.  In 
how  full  and  glorious  a  manner  does  it  conclude.  The 
spouse  had  in  the  first  verse  earnestly  longed  for  the 
kisses  of  his  mouth ;  here  that  desire  is  gratified  to  the 
fullest  possible  extent,  by  the  strongest  assurances  of 
love  given  from  time  to  time,  in  various  ways,  and  at 
last  by  the  beloved's  taking  her  to  his  bosom  with  the 
tenderest  and  deepest  exhibition  of  affection.  So 
true  are  the  words,  "Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my 
name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified 
in  the  Son.  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in  my  name,  I 
will  do  it."  John  xiv.  13. 

Ver.  10. — I  am  my  beloved's,  and  his  desire  is  toward 
me. 

Here  begins  the  third  part  of  the  Song,  which  shows 
the  effects  produced  on  the  heart  by  these  manifesta- 
tions of  Jesus'  love.  How  naturally  does  the  first  fol- 
low from  what  has  been  mentioned.  Thus  cheered  by 
our  Lord,  and  lying  in  his  bosom,  well  may  the  believer 
feel  the  full  assurance  of  hope,  and  thus  adopt  the 
language  of  this  verse.     See  notes  on  chap.  ii.  16. 

Ver.  11  — Come,  my  beloved,  let  us  go  forth  into  the 
field;  let  us  lodge  in  the  villages. 

A  second  effect  of  this  love,  is  the  desire  to  be  much 
alone  with  Jesus  in  retirement.     When  we  feel  the 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  487 

loveliness  of  Christ,  as  here  set  forth,  and  realize  the 
greatness  of  his  affection  towards  us,  we  naturally  de- 
sire to  be  with  him  apart  from  all  things  interfering 
with  these  communications  of  his  love. 

One  most  essential  difference  between  the  gardens 
of  the  Hebrews  and  our  own,  is  that  they  are  not  in 
any  way  connected  with  the  residence,  but  are  situ- 
ated in  the  suburbs,  sometimes  a  mile  distant  from 
the  house  of  the  person  to  whom  they  belonged.  See 
notes,  chap.  i.  16.  To  such  a  retreat  did  the  spouse 
wish  her  beloved  to  withdraw,  where  there  might  be 
nothing  to  interrupt  their  love. 

The  heart  naturally  desires  retirement  with  those 
sincerely  loved.  And  shall  not  this  be  especially  true 
of  affection  towards  Jesus  ?  The  pleasures  of  solitude 
have  ever  been  eagerly  sought  by  multitudes;  they 
are  found  only  by  the  believer.  He  is  never  less 
alone,  than  when  to  the  world  he  seems  most  alone, 
for  there  is  he  most  uninterruptedly  in  the  society 
of  Jesus,  his  friend.  All  this  he  has  in  addition, 
while  enjoying  equally  with  the  impious  man  of 
refined  taste,  the  sweets  of  solitude  and  delights  of 
meditation.  How  does  the  presence  of  an  agreeable 
friend  draw  away  our  attention  from  the  discomforts 
of  an  unpleasant  scene,  and  throw  richer  beauties  over 
one  in  itself  attractive.  So,  with  our  beloved  Lord, 
solitude  is  delightful ;  doubly  soj  for  there  we  can  com- 
mune with  him  of  all  that  is  in  our  heart. 

"  0  solitude,  come  thou  and  with  me  climb 
Nature's  observatory,  whence  the  dell, 
Its  flowery  slopes,  its  river's  crystal  swell, 


488  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

May  soera  a  span ;  let  me  thy  vigils  keep 

'Mongst  boughs  pavilion'd,  where  the  deer's  swift  leap 
Startles  the  wild  bee  from  the  foxglove  bell. 

But  though  I'll  gladly  trace  these  scenes  with  thee, 
Yet  the  sweet  converse  of  an  innocent  mind, 
Whose  words  are  images  of  thoughts  refined, 

Is  my  soul's  pleasure ;  and  it  sure  must  be 
Almost  the  highest  bliss  of  human  kind, 

"When  to  thy  haunts  two  kindred  spirits  flee." 

It  is  not  only  almost,  but  altogether  the  highest 
bliss,  when  to  those  haunts  two  kindred  spirits  flee, 
and  one  of  those  is  Jesus,  gathering  the  humble  soul 
of  the  believer  more  closely  to  his  loving  heart.  There 
we  are  away  from  the  distractions  of  the  world ;  there 
we  may  have  time  for  meditation,  for  study  of  the 
Scriptures,  for  contrition,  for  prayer,  for  praise.  And 
while  thus  withdrawn  from  the  world,  even  in  sadness, 
like  the  disciples  journeying  to  Emmaus,  Luke  xxi.  37, 
how  often  does  he  join  himself  unto  us,  and  cause  our 
hearts  to  burn  within  us,  while  unfolding  to  us  the 
Scriptures  by  his  Holy  Spirit. 

Ver.  12. — Let  ns  get  up  early  to  the  vineyards ;  let  us  see 
if  the  vine  flourish,  whether  the  tender  grape  appear,  and 
the  pomegranates  bud  forth :  there  will  I  give  thee  my 
loves. 

In  this  verse  is  mentioned  the  third  effect  of  the 
love  of  Jesus  on  the  heart; — we  engage  spontaneously 
in  duties  of  holiness  and  love,  such  as  are  enjoined  by 
our  Lord,  and  in  which  we  may  consequently  hope 
for  his  presence.  "Early  rising  is,  indeed,  constantly 
indicated  in  Scripture,  in  conformity  with  the  univer- 
sal custom  of  the  East.  The  orientals  generally  rise 
very  early  in  the  morning.     To  be  '  up  with  the  sun,' 


SONO    OF    SOLOMON.  489 

is  not  in  the  East  regarded  as  early  rising.  Every  one 
who  is  not  prevented  by  infirmity  or  sickness,  from 
the  ruler  to  the  meanest  of  his  subjects,  is  usually  up 
and  dressed  by  the  morning  dawn ;  and  even  in  royal 
courts,  the  most  important  public  business  is  transact- 
ed at  a  very  early  hour,  before,  in  this  country,  even 
the  workman  rises  to  his  labour.  The  women  almost 
invariably  rise  even  sooner  than  the  men,  often  a 
good  while  before  day."*  Thus  early  did  man  in 
Eden  awake  to  his  duties,  and  converse  with  God. 
Thus  Adam  to  our  first  mother — 

"Awake:  the  morning  shines,  and  the  fresh  field 
Calls  us ;  we  lose  the  prime,  to  mark  how  spring 
Our  tended  plants,  how  blows  the  citron  grove, 
What  drops  the  myrrh,  and  what  the  balmy  reed, 
How  nature  paints  her  colours,  how  the  bee 
Sits  on  the  bloom  extracting  liquid  sweet."f 

Jesus  himself,  in  the  morning,  rising  up  a  great  while 
before  day,  went  out  and  departed  into  a  solitary 
place,  and  there  prayed.  Mark  i.  35.  Such  was  his 
activity;  and  this  would  he  have  us  imitate.  Indo- 
lence is  no  part  of  the  Christian  character;  it  had  no 
place  in  man  before  the  fall;  it  can  have  no  place  in 
heaven,  where  they  rest  not  day  nor  night.  Indolence 
is  imperfection,  and  must  therefore  be  crowded  out 
from  the  soul  as  we  advance  towards  perfection  by 
sanctification.  Love  knows  no  weariness  in  serving 
its  cherished  object;  and  that  love  to  Christ  only  can 
be  genuine,  which  leads  to  activity  in  his  service. 

*  Kitto's  Bible  Headings,  345. 
f  Paradise  Lost,  book  v.  20. 
42 


490  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

"Thyself  and  thy  belongings 
Are  not  thine  own  so  proper,  as  to  waste 
Thyself  upon  thy  virtues,  them  on  thee. 
Heaven  doth  with  us,  as  we  with  torches  do; 
Not  light  them  for  themselves:  for  if  our  virtues 
Did  not  go  forth  of  us,  'twere  all  alike 
As  if  we  had  them  not.     Spirits  are  not  finely  touched, 
But  for  high  purposes :  nor  nature  lends 
The  smallest  scruple  of  her  excellence, 
But,  like  a  thrifty  goddess,  she  determines 
Herself  the  glory  of  a  creditor, 
Both  thanks  and  use."* 

Pre-eminently  is  this  true  of  the  grace  granted  to  the 
saint.  Not  he  who  hoarded  his  talent  in  the  earth, 
but  those  who  improved  their  several  gifts,  received 
commendation  and  reward.  The  degree  of  our  ac- 
tivity will  be  proportioned  to  the  vigour  of  our  love. 
Love  to  Christ  was  the  constraining  principle  of  the 
holy  Apostle,  who  was  in  labours  more  abundant; 
and  he  says,  "the  grace  of  God  which  was  bestowed 
upon  me,  was  not  in  vain;  but  I  laboured  more 
abundantly  than  they  all;  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace 
of  God  which  was  with  me."  1  Cor.  xv.  10.  Activity 
without  love  is  a  spurious  thing;  equally  so  is  love 
without  activity.  Hence,  says  Leighton,  "Assurance 
is  no  enemy  to  holy  diligence,  nor  friend  of  carnal 
security ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  the  only  thing  that 
doth  eminently  ennoble  and  embolden  the  soul  for  all 
adventures  and  services.  This  confidence  of  love  is 
the  great  secret  of  comfort,  and  of  ability  to  do  good 
service.     Nothing  makes  so  strong  and  healthful  con- 

*  Shakspeare,  Measure  for  Measure,  act  i.  sc.  1. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  491 

stitution  of  soul  as  pure  love.    A  heart  thus  composed 

goes  readily  and  cheerfully  unto  all  services,  to  do, 

to  suffer,  to  live,  to  die,  at  his  pleasure."      While, 

therefore,  love  to  Jesus  makes  us  crave  retirement 

with    him,   it   animates    us   to   untiring    diligence   in 

■works  of  activity  and   self-denial,   no   less  than  of 

meditation    and   prayer.      Thus   did    man    give   the 

Creator  his  love  in  Eden.      In  such  ways  must  we 

give  him  our  loves. 

Ver.  13. — The  mandrakes  give  a  smell,  and  at  our  gates 
are  all  manner  of  pleasant  fruits,  new  and  old,  which  I  have 
laid  up  for  thee,  0  my  beloved. 

This  love  prompts  us  to  lay  up  for  Jesus  and  con- 
secrate to  him  our  best  gifts,  as  well  as  our  diligent 
services.  Kitto  says,  the  Hebrew  word  here  rendered 
mandrakes,  has  occasioned  so  much  discussion  as  to 
evince  clearly  enough  that  we  know  nothing  about  it. 
Sir  Thomas  Browne  has  a  curious  dissertation  on  it 
in  his  quaint  style.*  The  Abbe  Mariti  thus  describes 
the  mandrake:  "At  the  village  of  St.  John,  in  the 
mountains,  about  six  miles  southwest  from  Jerusalem, 
this  plant  is  found  at  present,  as  well  as  in  Tuscany. 
It  grows  low  like  lettuce,  to  which  its  leaves  have  a 
great  resemblance,  except  that  they  have  a  dark  green 
colour.  The  flowers  are  purple,  and  the  root  is  for 
the  most  part  forked.  The  fruit,  when  ripe,  in  the 
beginning  of  May,  is  of  the  size  and  colour  of  a  small 
apple,  exceeding  ruddy,  and  of  a  most  agreeable 
odour.  It  is  generally  valued  by  the  inhabitants 
as  exhilarating  their  spirits  when  eaten."     Perhaps 

*  Bonn's  Edition,  vol.  i.  192. 


492  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

Junius  and  Tremellius  are  not  far  wrong,  when,  look- 
ing to  the  etymology  of  the  word,  they  render  it 
"lovely  flowers."  By  "gates"  is  probably  meant  the 
entrance  to  the  kiosk  or  summer-house;  and  "pleasant 
fruits"  means,  as  in  chap.  iv.  16,  every  delicacy  the 
garden  could  afford.  The  meaning  of  the  passage  then 
is,  that  the  spouse  had  already  laid  up  in  the  summer- 
house  every  variety  of  fragrant  flowers  and  luscious 
fruits,  so  that  they  could  be  had  without  the  trouble 
of  going  to  gather  them,  and  would  be  to  him  an 
evidence  of  her  forethought  prompted  by  love. 

Love  ever  hoards  up  for  the  object  of  affection 
the  very  best  of  every  thing  that  exertion  can  enable 
it  to  procure,  without  waiting  to  be  asked.  It  seeks 
to  anticipate  every  want,  and  takes  delight  in  bestow- 
ing unexpected  gratification.  This  feeling  enters 
into  the  very  essence  of  love,  and  is  to  it  what  vital 
warmth  is  to  the  body.  Without  it  the  affection 
cannot  exist.  Hence,  love  to  Christ  ever  prompts  us 
to  hoard  up  spontaneously  our  choicest  gifts  for  him. 
Whatever  we  possess,  we  wish  him  to  have  the  first 
and  the  best  of  it.  We  feel  hurt  at  the  idea  of  his 
taking  any  secondary  share.  This  was  the  principle 
sought  to  be  inculcated  on  the  Jews,  when  required 
to  offer  the  first  fruits.  This  made  Gregory  Nazi- 
anzen  say,  "If  I  have  any  possessions,  health,  credit, 
learning,  this  is  all  the  contentment  I  have  of  them, 
that  I  have  somewhat  I  may  despise  for  Christ,  who 
is  altogether  lovely  and  alone  to  be  desired."  This 
made  a  nobler  than  he  exclaim,  "  I  count  all  things 
but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
Jesus  my  Lord." 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  49t 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


A' Ell.  1,  "2. — Oh  that  thou  Avert  as  my  brother,  that  sucked 
the  breasts  of  my  mother !  when  I  should  find  thee  without, 
I  would  kiss  thee;  yea,  I  should  not  be  despised.  I  would 
lead  thee,  and  bring  thee  into  my  mother's  house,  who  would 
instruct  me:  I  would  cause  thee  to  drink  of  spiced  wine  of 
the  juice  of  my  pomegranate. 

We  would  translate  these  verses,  '  Oh  that  thou  wert  as 
a  brother  to  rne,  nourished  in  the  bosom  of  my  mother; 
should  I  find  thee  abroad,  then  would  I  kiss  thee,  nor 
would  it  be  imputed  to  me  as  an  impropriety.  I  would 
lead  thee,  I  would  bring  thee  to  the  house  of  my  mo- 
ther; thou  shalt  teach  me  how  to  gratify  thy  wishes; 
I  will  make  thee  drink  of  the  spiced  wine,  of  my  fresh 
juice  of  the  pomegranate.'  These  verses  carry  out  the 
desire  expressed  in  the  last  verse  of  chap.  vii.  Hav- 
ing spoken  of  manifestations  of  love  she  was  able  to 
make,  in  giving  him  her  most  delicious  fruits  and  her 
choicest  flowers,  she  is  here  carried  away  by  the  ardour 
of  affection,  and  wishes  it  were  possible  to  do  towards 
him  as  she  would  desire.  Were  her  relation  to  him 
different  from  what  it  was,  she  might  give  him  demon- 
strations of  love  that  would  not  be  viewed  by  the  world 
as  improprieties.  Hence  she  is  led  to  wish  he  sustained 
to  her  the  relation  of  a  brother,  for  then,  however 
ardent  and  multiplied  her  attentions,  they  could  never 
be  regarded  as  improper.  On  the  words  "my  mother's 
house,"  see  notes,  chap.  iv.  4.  In  that  retirement  she 
would  learn  from  him  what  might  be  most  agreeable, 
42* 


494  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

and  with  the  alacrity  of  love  manifest  her  affection  by 
every  possible  attention. 

The  wines  produced  in  the  vineyards  of  Lebanon 
had  a  fragrant  odour:  "The  scent  thereof  shall  be  as 
the  wine  of  Lebanon."  Hos.  xiv.  7.  The  orientals 
frequently  put  spices  into  their  wines  to  increase  their 
flavour.  Savary,  in  his  Letters  on  Greece,  states  that 
various  kinds  of  naturally-perfumed  wines  are  pro- 
duced in  Crete  and  some  of  the  neighbouring  islands. 
Spiced  wines  were  not  peculiar  to  the  Jews.  The  cele- 
brated Persian  poet,  Ilafiz,  speaks  of  wine,  "  richly 
bitter,  richly  sweet."  The  Romans  lined  their  vessels 
with  odorous  gums,  to  give  the  wine  a  warm,  bitter 
flavour;  and  it  is  said  that  the  Poles  and  Spaniards 
adopt  a  similar  method,  in  order  to  impart  to  their 
wines  a  favourite  relish.  The  juice  of  the  pomegra- 
nate is  often  employed  in  the  East,  to  give  a  pleasant 
sub-acid  flavour  to  a  variety  of  beverages ;  and  where 
the  laws  of  the  Koran  are  not  allowed  to  interpose,  or 
their  prohibitions  are  disregarded,  a  delicious  wine  is 
frequently  manufactured  from  this  juice  alone.  The 
spouse,  therefore,  means  to  say  she  would  offer  him 
the  richest  and  most  refreshing  drink,  her  greatest 
delicacies. 

The  import  of  this  verse  is  a  desire  that  every  thing 
hindering  the  full  and  perfect  interchange  of  affection 
between  Jesus  and  our  soul,  might  be  removed,  and  it 
were  possible  to  enjoy  his  love  to  us  and  express  our 
love  to  him,  as  we  shall  be  able  to  do  in  heaven. 
Much  as  we  may  now  long  for  stronger  displays  of  his 
love,  and  to  give  stronger  evidence  of  our  love  to  him, 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  .     495 

we  acquiesce  in  the  present  state  of  things,  because 
Ave  feel  there  would  be  an  impropriety,  no  less  than 
impossibility,  in  those  overpowering  exhibitions  of  love 
that  belong  to  heaven.  But  this  does  not  preclude  us 
from  feeling  that,  were  it  seen  best  by  him,  we  would 
rejoice  even  now  in  those  raptures  which  belong  to 
heaven,  where  we  shall  be  able  to  speak  of  his  love  in 
the  strongest  language,  and  give  expression  to  it  in 
the  most  exalted  praise,  without  danger  of  exposing 
ourselves  to  the  contempt  of  the  world.  There,  shall 
our  fellowship  and  communion  with  him  be  far  more 
intimate  and  endearing  than  was  possible  on  earth. 
The  language  of  these  verses  expresses  the  real  feel- 
ing of  the  pious  heart.  How  often  do  even  nominal 
Christians  charge  on  brethren  as  an  impropriety,  or 
as  a  species  of  excess,  exercises  which  are  perfectly 
free  from  fanaticism,  and  spring  from  overflowing  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  heart.  In  the  pre- 
sent world,  we  are  not  able  to  feel  as  we  would  wish 
to  feel  towards  our  Lord;  we  cannot  speak  of  him  as 
we  would  wish  to  s^eak  of  him;  we  cannot  do  as  we 
would  wish  to  do  towards  him.  We  are  prevented  by 
our  position  among  those  who  are  unable  to  under- 
stand these  things;  by  the  remaining  corruptions  of 
the  heart;  by  the  peculiar  duties  now  resting  on  us; 
and  by  the  relation  Jesus  must  necessarily  bear  to  us 
in  the  present  world.  Well  may  the  wearied  heart, 
with  so  many  obstructions  between  us  and  the  object 
of  our  love,  desire  that  they  may  be  removed,  and  that 
our  relations  to  him  may  be  made  such  as  to  give  us 
the  power  to  gratify  perfectly  our  affection. 


496     .  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

Ver.  3,  4. — His  left  hand  should  he  under  my  head, 
and  his  right  hand  should  embrace  me.  I  charge  you,  0 
daughters  of  Jerusalem,  that  ye  stir  not  up,  nor  awake  my 
love,  until  he  please. 

See  notes  on  chap.  ii.  G,  7.  These  verses  seem 
here  mentioned,  as  though  the  happy  state  expressed 
by  them  was  viewed  by  the  soul  as  a  blessed  and 
satisfying  foretaste  of  what  may  be  expected  here- 
after, and  as  much  as  is  best  or  possible  for  us  in  this 
world. 

Ver.  5. — (Who  is  this  that  cometh  up  from  the  wilder- 
ness, leaning  upon  her  beloved?)  I  raised  thee  up  under 
the  apple  tree :  there  thy  mother  brought  thee  forth :  there 
she  brought  thee  forth  that  bare  thee. 

According  to  our  reading  of  this  passage,  the 
daughters  of  Jerusalem  say,  'Who  is  this  coming  up 
from  the  wilderness,  leaning  on  the  beloved?'  An- 
swering this  question,  the  beloved  says  to  the  spouse, 
as  though  for  the  purpose  of  reassuring  her,  by  calling 
to  mind  that  she  was  truly  his  rightful  wife,  '  Under 
the  citron-tree  I  gained  thine  affection;  there  thy 
mother  pledged  thee;  there  she  tthat  bare  thee  be- 
trothed thee.'  This  is  one  of  the  verses  which  cannot 
be  explained  but  on  the  supposition  that  this  poem  is 
an  allegory.  We  do  not  know  that  it  throws  any 
light  on  this  passage  to  remark,  that  among  many 
nations  the  Cydonian  apple  was  sacred  to  love;  or 
to  notice  the  golden  apple  which  Paris  adjudged  to 
Venus,  who  is  sometimes  represented  in  her  statues 
with  an  apple  in  her  hand.  Theocritus  has  the  fol- 
lowing: 

"First  I  beheld  thy  beauties,  blooming  maid, 
When  o'er  the  hills,  in  every  charm  arrayed, 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  407 

Thy  mother  led  thee,  and  thy  fingers  fair 
Plucked  the  wild  hyacinths  that  blossomed  there. 
And  I  was  guide  to  thee  along  thy  way." 

This  verse  gives  the  seventh  result  flowing  from  the 
divine  love.  Though  we  cannot  now  enjoy  what  we 
could  desire,  and  what  shall  be  enjoyed  in  heaven; 
though  the  delightful  scenes  now  had  must  be  inter- 
rupted, yet  we  are  permitted  to  go  up  from  this  wil- 
derness leaning  on  the  beloved ;  we  feel  that  under- 
neath us  are  the  everlasting  arms;  in  all  circumstances 
he  sustains  us ;  and  throughout  our  pilgrimage  we  are 
thus  upheld  by  him  who  first  found  us,  raised  us  up, 
and  took  us  into  covenant  relation,  "  under  the  apple 
tree,"  as  in  chap.  ii.  3,  under  the  shadow  of  Christ. 
Here  is,  1.  The  blessed  privilege  enjoyed  by  the  be- 
liever, of  going  up  from  this  world  towards  heaven, 
leaning  on  the  beloved;  2.  The  soul  who  enjoys  this 
privilege,  is  the  soul  that  has  been  found  by  the 
beloved  under  the  shadow  of  Christ;  3.  There  he 
first  awaked  and  won  our  love ;  4.  There  we  were 
given  to  him  by  the  one  who  had  the  right  to  dispose  of 
us.  What  force  do  the  last  three  considerations  give 
to  the  first.  Had  she  who  was  leaning  on  the  beloved 
the  right  to  lean  there  as  his  espoused  wife?  Yes,  as 
is  clearly  shown.  Have  the  believers  that  go  up  to 
heaven,  the  right  to  lean  on  Jesus,  as  his  bride,  the 
wife  of  the  Lamb  ?  Hence  we  see  why  the  language 
changes  so  abruptly  from  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem 
to  the  beloved;  as  though  he  would  say,  She  has  this 
right,  because  under  such  and  such  circumstances, 
and  in  such  a  place,  she  was  betrothed  to  me  by  her 
mother's  hand. 


498  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

He  on  whom  we  are  leaning,  found  us  under  the 
citron-tree,  Jesus  Christ.  See  notes,  chap.  ii.  3. 
There  did  he  awaken  us  first  to  his  love.  This  love 
is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who 
is  given  unto  us.  The  awaking  of  this  love  within  us 
is  the  giving  unto  us  of  a  new  life.  It  introduces  us 
into  a  new  world,  leads  us  to  lean  on  new  objects  for 
comfort  and  support,  and  fits  us  for  enjoying  even 
the  presence  of  God.  Could  the  intellect  of  a  man 
be  imparted  to  an  inferior  creature,  it  would  not  more 
exalt  his  nature,  than  does  the  love  of  God  elevate 
degraded  and  imbrutecl  man.  Before  Jesus  found  us, 
our  condition  was  truly  forlorn.  Like  a  poor,  way- 
worn pilgrim  in  an  oriental  desert,  under  the  wither- 
ing heat,  we  had  with  Hagar  sat  down  to  die,  Gen. 
xxi.  16 ;  but  we  saw  one  who  was  as  the  shadow  of  a 
great  rock  in  a  weary  land ;  to  him  we  turned,  and 
under  his  shadow  we  sat  down  with  great  delight ; 
there  one  touched  us,  greater  than  the  angel  who  was 
sent  to  the  disheartened  prophet,  1  Kings  xix.  5; 
there  God  called  on  us  to  arise  from  our  despondency ; 
there  he  opened  our  eyes,  and  caused  us  to  see  a  Avell 
of  living  water,  and  made  us  go  in  the  strength  of 
that  food  onward  to  the  mount  of  God,  where  he  had 
appeared,  not  in  the  terrible  darkness  of  Sinai,  but  in 
the  mercy  of  Calvary  and  gentleness  of  Zion.  There, 
beneath  the  dropping  of  his  blood,  were  we  given 
away  to  him  in  covenant  relation,  by  one  who  had  the 
right  to  dispose  of  us,  even  God  the  Father — given 
to  him  as  the  purchase  of  his  blood;  and  with  a  ten- 
derness infinitely  surpassing  that  with  which  the  be- 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  499 

loved  disciple  fostered  the  mother  of  Jesus,  committed 
to  his  care  by  the  dying  Saviour  on  the  cross,  did  our 
precious  Redeemer  from  that  hour  take  us  into  his 
own  fortune,  his  own  bosom,  his  own  home. 

Thus  found  by  Jesus,  quickened  by  him  to  his  love, 
and  given  to  him  by  the  Father,  we  are  led  away 
from  our  disconsolate  condition,  up  from  this  wilder- 
ness, to  the  city  of  the  living  God.     The  wife  looks 
to  the  husband  for  wisdom,  for  protection,  for  sup- 
port; she  leans  on  him  in  confidence  and  love.     Thus 
lean  we  on  our  blessed  Lord.     He  gives  us  support, 
wiMom,   protection.      With   Israel,  we  feel  there  is 
none  like  unto  the  God  of  Jeshurun,  who  rideth  upon 
the  heaven  in  our  help;  and  underneath  us  are  the 
everlasting  arms.  Deut.  xxxiii.  26.     On  him  we  lean 
in  repentance,  in  temptation,  in  trial,  in  sorrow,  in 
times  of  desertion  by  the  light  of  God's  countenance, 
or  of  persecution  by  the  world,  in  sickness,  in  death, 
in  the  judgment,  in  our  entrance  into  the  heavenly 
city,  and  in  our  presentation,  amid  the  splendours  of 
his  court,  to  the  king  of  glory. 

Ver.  6.— Set  ine  as  a  seal  upon  thine  heart,  as  a  seal 
upon  thine  arm. 

This  alludes  to  jewels  having  the  name  or  portrait 
of  the  beloved  person  engraved  on  them,  and  worn 
next  the  heart,  or  on  the  arm.  In  the  pictures  of 
the  eastern  princesses  and  heroines,  there  is  some- 
times a  large  square  jewel  on  the  fore-part  of  the 
arm,  a  little  below  the  shoulder.  "When  all  the  per- 
sons had  assembled  in  the  divan,  every  one  remained 


500  COMMENTARY     ON    THE 

sitting  or  standing  in  his  place  without  moving,  till 
in  about  half  an  hour  came  two  kapuclschis,  one  of 
whom  carried  the  imperial  signet-ring,  and  presented 
it  to  the  grand  vizier,  who  arose  from  his  sofa,  and 
received  the  signet-ring  with  a  kind  of  bow,  kissed  it, 
put  it  on  his  hand,  took  it  off  again,  and  put  it  in  the 
bag  in  which  it  had  been  before,  and  placed  both  in 
a  pocket  at  the  left  side  of  his  kaftan,  as  it  were  upon 
his  heart."*  According  to  Roberts,  "When  a  hus- 
band is  going  to  a  distant  country,  the  wife  says  to 
him,  'Ah!  place  me  as  a  seal  upon  thy  heart;'  that 
is,  let  me  be  impressed  on  thy  affections,  as  the  seal 
leaves  its  impression  upon  the  wax.  Let  not  your 
arms  embrace  another;  let  me  only  be  sealed  there." 
There  may  possibly  be  a  reference  here  to  the  stones 
in  the  breast-plate  of  the  high-priest,  and  those  worn 
on  his  shoulders. 

These  words  do  therefore  give  as  the  eighth  result  of 
the  divine  love,  the  desire  to  lie  continually  near  the 
heart  of  Jesus,  and  be  perpetually  in  his  remembrance. 
Feeling  thus  the  love  of  Christ,  and  the  privilege  of 
leaning  on  him,  we  pray  to  have  ever  a  part  in  his 
intercession.  How  comforting  to  know  that  we  have 
one  in  heaven  to  intercede  for  us.  This  is  often 
overlooked ;  but  as  we  grow  in  love  we  feel  more  and 
more  the  preciousness  of  this  truth.  How  glorious  a 
position  is  that  of  the  gem  on  the  finger  of  the  king, 
how  inseparable  from  his  presence.  "  Thou  shalt  be 
a  crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  a  royal 
diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy  God,"  Isa.  lxii.  3;  "  They 

*  Rosenmiillcr. 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  501 

shall  be  as  the  gems  of  a  crown."  Zech.  ix.  16. 
Here  the  saint  desires  to  be  a  seal  so  precious  as  to 
be  borne  on  the  heart.  A  believer  writes  thus,  con- 
cerning his  experience  at  a  certain  time:  "I  never 
felt  so  strongly  and  sensibly  that  I  had  a  place  in  his 
loving  heart.  It  seemed  to  my  spiritual  perception, 
as  though  my  soul  had  passed  not  only  into  his  bosom, 
but  far  away  into  his  very  heart,  and  my  sensations 
were  such  as  they  would  be,  were  the  thing  possible, 
were  I  lodged  in  the  centre  of  his  heart  with  love, 
such  love  as  belongs  to  Jesus  only,  above,  below, 
around,  within  me,  the  air,  the  light,  all,  the  very 
richness  of  love,  my  heart  buried  thus  in  the  fountain 
of  life  and  love,  and  feeling  tenderly,  exquisitely,  the 
beating  of  the  heart  of  Jesus  in  the  outgushings  of 
that  love  in  the  Holy  Spirit  springing  up  within  me 
as  a  fountain  of  water  unto  eternal  life.  Never  may 
I  forget  these  sensations.  They  seemed  the  delicious 
perfection  of  union  with  Jesus,  my  soul  like  a  spark 
of  light,  a  star  of  flame,  broken  off  from  the  sun  of 
righteousness  and  wandered  afar,  but  returning  to- 
wards its  centre,  till  passing  into  the  depths  of  this 
fountain  of  light,  it  reposes  at  the  very  centre,  lost  to 
all  things  else,  and  calm  amid  the  quiet  splendour  of 
eternal  peace.  This  coalescing  of  our  soul  with  the 
spirit  of  Jesus,  this  oneness  with  him,  is  the  perfec- 
tion of  sanctification,  the  end  to  which  the  death  and 
intercession  of  our  Saviour  lead:  'That  they  all  may 
be  one,  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,' 
John  xvii.  21;  'I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me.'  Ver.  23. 
Faith  gives  such  a  substance  to  these  truths  as  to 
43 


502  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

make  me  feel  just  as  I  must  feel,  if  my  heart  were 
lodged  in  the  very  centre  of  the  heart  of  Jesus.  It 
is  something  more  than  being  gathered  in  his  arms 
and  carried  in  his  bosom,  than  being  set  as  a  seal  on 
his  heart.  It  is  the  consciousness  of  being  one  with 
Jesus,  of  resting  in  Jesus,  heart  in  heart.  Here  is 
the  full  meaning  of  the  words,  'His  soul  shall  dwell 
in  goodness.'  Ps.  xxv.  13.  'Shall  lodge  in  goodness,' 
in  that  fountain  of  life,  the  streams  issuing  from 
which  are,  according  to  the  condition  of  those  they 
reach,  goodness,  mercy,  compassion,  or  love."* 

The  seal  has  generally  engraved  on  it  some  device 
commemorating  something  which  is  most  valued  by 
the  possessor :  the  soul  of  the  saint  is  such  a  seal ;  on 

*  "The  love  of  God,  and  of  God  alone,  was  my  soul's  great 
business.  I  seemed  so  entirely  lost  in  God,  as  to  have  no  sight 
of  myself  at  all.  It  seemed  as  if  my  heart  never  came  out  of 
that  divine  ocean.  Oh!  loss,  which  is  the  consummation  of 
happiness,  though  operated  through  crosses  and  deaths!  I 
could  say  with  the  Apostle  Paul,  that  Christ  lived  in  me;  and 
that  I  lived  no  more.  Every  inward  motion,  originating  from 
self,  seemed  to  be  taken  away  and  lost;  so  much  so,  that  all 
the  soul's  movements  and  actions  were  now  in  God,  under  the 
dominion  of  his  will,  and  entirely  in  union  with  him ;  the  soul 
living  in  and  of  God,  as  the  body  lives  in  and  of  the  air  it 
breathes.  Human  language  cannot  well  describe  this  state. 
God  only  knows  perfectly  what  it  is.  Souls,  who  are  in  this 
state,  are  very  precious  in  the  sight  of  God,  though  outwardly 
there  is  nothing  which  especially  attracts  notice.  They  are 
the  little  ones  of  the  earth; — meek,  humble,  quiet.  Their 
humility,  however,  does  not  wholly  protect  them  from  the 
world's  opposition,  they  are  not  unfrequently  the  objects  of 
the  world's  scorn  and  rage." — Madame  Guyon. 


SONG     OP     SOLOMON.  503 

it  is  traced  that  which  is  a  commemoration  of  the  glo- 
rious mercy  of  the  King  of  kings;  and  so  peculiar  is 
the  engraving,  that  whoever  sees  it  will  know  to  whom 
the  soul  belongs.  Rev.  ii.  17.  The  seal  is  set  in  gold ; 
and  our  spiritual  body  is  the  golden  setting  for  the 
precious  seal  of  the  renewed  heart,  on  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  now  engraving  by  sanctification  the  lineament 
of  our  Lord.  It  is  not  only  allowable,  but  the  duty  of 
the  saint  to  pray,  that  we  may  be  with  Jesus  where 
he  is,  to  behold  his  glory.  John  xvii.  24.  And  in 
what  way  can  we  more  clearly  and  comprehensively 
offer  this  prayer,  than  in  the  language  of  this  verse. 

For  love  is  strong  as  death;  jealousy  is  cruel  as  the 
grave :  the  coals  thereof  are  coals  of  fire,  which  hath  a  most 
vehement  flame. 

Rather  translate— 'Devoted  affection  is  unrelaxing 
as  the  realms  of  the  dead;  its  flames  have  the  energy 
of  lightning-flames,  which  have  the  fiercest  blaze.' 
These  words  illustrate  the  devotion  of  this  love  to  the 
object  of  affection,  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  privilege, 
the  glory,  the  happiness  of  being  thus  set  as  a  seal, 
appears  such,  that  the  believer  is  ready  to  sacrifice 
every  thing  for  its  attainment.  While  the  various 
endowments  of  the  soul  are  representations  of  the 
excellences  of  God,  every  affection  of  a  pure  and  ex- 
alted cast  is  the  image  of  what  our  devotion  should  be 
to  him ;  and  then  this  devotion  is  the  image  in  return 
of  what  God's  love  is  towards  us.  All  other  loves 
were  intended  as  subsidiary  to  this  love  to  God,  and 
streams  for  feeding  its  strength.     Of  this  love  pre- 


504  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

eminently  may  be  said  what  Coleridge  has  sung  of  a 
subordinate  passion : 

"All  thoughts,  all  passions,  all  delights, 
Whatever  stirs  this  mortal  frame, 
Are  all  but  ministers  of  love, 
And  feed  his  sacred  flame." 

There  is  a  law  in  nature  that  the  attractive  power 
of  bodies  is  proportioned  to  their  size  or  quantity  of 
matter;  and  the  attractive  power  of  lovely  objects 
depends  on  the  amount  of  loveliness  centred  in  them. 
Now,  what  is  the  loveliness  centred  in  Christ.  In  him 
is  not  only  every  thing  actually,  but  every  thing  pos- 
sibly lovely.  He  is  the  citron-tree,  as  it  were  contin- 
ually putting  forth  fresh  successions  of  buds,  blossoms, 
and  fruits  of  beauty;  the  fountain  of  life  and  loveli- 
ness. What  must,  therefore,  be  the  attractive  power 
with  which  he  draws  holy  souls  towards  him  and  binds 
them  to  him  ?  This  nothing  can  withstand.  The  de- 
votion will  be  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  the  love. 
Love  is  devotion.  So  lovely  does  Jesus  seem,  so  great 
his  attractiveness,  so  numerous  our  obligations  to  him, 
that  we  rejoice  to  "count  all  things  but  loss"  for  him. 
The  inquiry  on  every  point  of  duty,  is  not  whether 
the  performance  of  it  is  difficult,  dangerous,  or  even 
seemingly  possible;  but  simply,  "Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do?"  The  practicability  of  a  duty  is  felt, 
to  be  properly  judged  of,  not  by  the  appearance  it 
presents  to  our  judgment,  but  by  the  command  of  our 
Lord.  If  he  has  commanded,  we  go  forward,  fearing 
nothing  that  may  seem  to  lie  in  the  way.     The  true 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  505 

principle  was  stated  by  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  when 
in  reply  to  a  person  who  asked  whether  his  knowledge 
of  things  in  India  would  not  lead  him  to  recommend 
the  friends  of  missions  to  drop  their  work  as  hopeless, 
he  said,  "Your  business  is  to  look  only  to  your  march- 
ing orders — Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature." 

True,  the  amount  of  our  contributions  may  seem 
small  and  swallowed  up  like  a  rain-drop  in  the  ocean ; 
our  efforts  may  seem  unimportant,  hardly  felt  if  put 
forth,  or  missed  if  withheld;  yet  we  hesitate  not,  but 
go  forward,  feeling  that  whatever  result  may  attend 
our  labours,  we  are  grateful  for  opportunities  of  show- 
ing our  love  to  Jesus,  even  though  the  exertions  be 
unattended  with  any  further  results.  Truly,  as  Leigh- 
ton  says,  "  This  love  makes  the  soul  delight  in  the 
hardest  tasks  and  greatest  difficulties,  where  it  may 
perform  God  service  either  in  doing  or  suffering  for 
him.  The  greater  the  task,  the  more  real  is  the  testi- 
mony and  expression  of  love,  and  therefore  the  more 
acceptable  to  God.  If  times  be  for  suffering,  love 
will  make  the  soul  not  only  bear,  but  welcome  the 
bitterest  afflictions  of  life,  and  the  hardest  kinds  of 
death,  for  his  sake.  In  a  word,  there  is  in  love  a 
sweet  constraint,  or  tying  of  the  heart  to  all  obedi- 
ence and  duty." 

Ver.  7. — Many  waters  cannot  quench  love,  neither  can 
the  floods  drown  it:  if  a  man  would  give  all  the  substance 
of  his  house  for  love,  it  would  utterly  be  contemned. 

These  words  set  forth  the  tenth  effect  flowing  from 
the  love  of  Christ — the  power  thereby  imparted  to 
43* 


506  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

the  soul  of  withstanding  every  thing  that  would  draw 
us  away  from  the  Saviour.  The  ninth  effect,  men- 
tioned under  the  second  division  of  verse  sixth,  shows 
the  devotion  of  this  affection ;  this  verse  illustrates  its 
power.  The  power  of  anything  must  be  determined 
by  looking  at  the  resistance  which  it  may  be  able  to 
overcome.  And  what  does  this  love  in  the  heart 
overcome?  Against  it  are  combined  mighty  influ- 
ences, the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil.  Cherish- 
ing for  the  blessed  Saviour  a  devotion  strong  as 
death,  the  saint  finds  himself  surrounded  by  enemies 
who  would  crush  or  uproot  this  love,  and  bar  the  way 
effectually  against  our  ever  becoming  able  to  attain 
the  enjoyment  of  the  divine  glory  in  heaven.  This 
host  of  foes  avail  themselves  of  our  every  instinct, 
impulse,  passion,  and  feeling,  taking  advantage  of 
every  weakness  and  every  opportunity  for  injury  to 
us  that  can  be  conceived.  But,  "in  all  these  things 
we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved 
us;"  for  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us;  and  we 
can  do  all  things  through  Christ  who  strengthens  us. 
Our  position  is  now  very  different  from  what  it  was  in 
Eden,  where  there  was  but  a  single  propensity  on 
which  the  tempter  could  work,  and  every  facility  was 
offered  for  resistance.  But  had  we  never  fallen,  the 
energy  and  power  of  this  love  could  not  have  been  so 
fully  seen.  Its  power  does  not  appear  so  great  in 
keeping  holy  beings  in  their  sphere,  as  in  taking  hold 
of  the  fallen,  and  carrying  them  up  through  all  these 
opposing  influences,  to  their  proper  place  beside  the 
throne  of  God,   and  reinstating  these  lost  stars  in 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  507 

their  orbits,  never  again  to  wander,  never  to  fall  or 
grow  dim.  The  excellence  of  a  vessel,  the  power  of 
its  machinery,  is  shown  by  the  angry  tempests  amid 
which  it  can  live,  and  the  stormy  waves  through 
which  it  urges  its  way.  Devotion  in  the  pilot  to  his 
duty  cannot  avail,  unless  the  vessel  be  sea-worthy,  its 
engine  perfect  and  strong.  This  divine  love  is  the 
motive  power  of  the  soul  in  its  passage  over  the 
angry  waters  of  life's  tempestuous  sea.  The  force  of 
the  elements  combining  for  its  destruction  may  be 
seen  in  the  fiery  persecutions  which  marked  the 
course  of  Jesus  through  this  life,  and  have  marked 
the  track  of  his  people  in  every  age.  Yet  has  this 
love  ever  proved  sufficient  to  carry  even  the  frailest 
bark  of  humanity  in  which  it  has  been  lodged,  safe 
through  all  surges  into  the  haven,  where  the  wicked 
cease  from  troubling  and  the  weary  are  at  rest. 
Never,  in  a  single  instance,  has  one  foundered  in  the 
depths  of  that  sea  which  shall  never  give  up  its  dead. 
Sometimes  amid  sorrow  and  temptation,  like  the 
disciples  in  the  storm  on  the  sea  of  Galilee,  we  may 
be  sore  afraid,  and  cry,  "Lord,  save  us;  we  are  per- 
ishing;" yet  shall  we  ever  find  Jesus  is  with  us:  and 
when  in  jeopardy,  like  the  Apostle,  we  beseech  the 
Lord  even  thrice  that  the  peril  may  depart  from  us, 
if  he  does  not  say  unto  the  wind  and  the  waves, 
"Peace,  be  still;"  he  will  at  least  say,  "My  grace  is 
sufficient  for  thee."  Herein  lies  the  power  of  this 
love.  While  this  grace  with  its  attending  love  con- 
tinues in  vigorous  operation  in  the  soul,  we  are  safe, 
however  heavy  the  surges  and  violent  the  storm;  if 


508  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

its  power  be  diminished,  our  peril  proportionally  in- 
creases; were  it  withdrawn,  we  must  inevitably  per- 
ish. This  has  been  happily  illustrated  by  Bunyan, 
when  "  the  interpreter  took  Christian  by  the  hand, 
and  led  him  into  a  place  where  was  a  fire  burning 
against  a  wall,  and  one  standing  by  it,  always  cast- 
ing much  water  upon  it  to  quench  it;  yet  did  the 
fire  burn  higher  and  hotter;  at  the  back  of  the  wall 
was  a  man  with  a  vessel  of  oil  in  his  hand,  of  the 
which  he  did  also  continually  cast,  but  secretly,  into 
the  fire."  Hence  we  say  with  the  Apostle,  "I  am 
persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels, 
nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present, 
nor  things  to  come;  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any 
other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the 
love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 

Ver.  8. — We  have  a  little  sister,  and  she  hath  no  breasts : 
what  shall  we  do  for  our  sister  in  the  day  when  she  shall 
be  spoken  for? 

Rather  read,  'We  have  a  young  sister,  and  she  hath 
not  yet  reached  womanhood :  what  shall  we  do  for  our 
sister  with  reference  to  the  day  when  she  shall  be 
spoken  for  in  marriage.'  These  are  understood  by  us 
as  words  of  the  spouse  to  the  beloved.  In  her  exalted 
position  as  the  spouse  of  Solomon,  she  does  not  forget 
those  allied  to  her,  who  are  yet  in  their  natural,  hum- 
ble position.  This  represents  the  interest  felt  and 
manifested  by  the  believer,  in  prayer  to  the  Lord 
Jesus,  for  those  who  are  yet  in  their  native  impeni- 
tent state.  From  Matt.  xii.  50,  we  see  that  all  are 
here  meant  who  may  be  brought  to  do  the  will  of  God; 


SONG    OF     SOLOMON.  509 

and  hence  all  impenitent  persons  in  general,  no  less 
than  those  of  our  own  household.  An  interest  for  the 
salvation  of  the  souls  of  others  is  a  characteristic  of 
genuine  grace.  The  evidence  of  right  feeling  is  right 
action.  Right  action  will  show  itself  in  prayer  and 
efforts  for  the  good  of  souls.  He  who  is  crucified  to 
the  world,  and  he  only,  estimates  the  world  aright ; 
and  truly  enjoys  it.  He  feels  for  the  miseries  of 
others,  not  from  the  promptings  of  natural  benevo- 
lence, but  from  the  impulse  of  love  to  Christ.  It  is 
delightful  to  pray  and  labour  in  the  cause  of  benevo- 
lence; especially  to  pray  and  labour  for  those  we 
love.  The  believer  will  seek  the  salvation  of  his  im- 
penitent friends,  by  going  to  Jesus,  and  making  inte- 
rest for  them  in  prayer;  if  they  are  young,  not  yet 
arrived  at  years  of  discretion,  he  will  be  training 
them  up  and  attending  them  with  his  prayers,  that 
when  they  do  reach  proper  years,  they  may  be  ready 
to  receive  the  divine  blessing.  In  such  labours,  we 
should  not  be  discouraged  because  our  efforts  may  be 
small,  and  apparently  promise  little  reward.  Duty 
is  ours;  results  are  with  God.  Trifling  acts  are  often 
the  cause  of  much  happiness,  and  issue  in  most  impor- 
tant consequences. 

"The  blessings  which  the  weak  and  poor  can  scatter 
Have  their  own  season.     'Tis  a  little  thing 
To  give  a  cup  of  water;  yet  its  draught 
Of  cool  refreshment,  drained  by  fevered  lips, 
May  give  a  shock  of  pleasure  to  the  frame 
More  exquisite  than  when  Nectarian  juice 
Renews  the  life  of  joy  in  happiest  hours. 
It  is  a  little  thing  to  speak  a  phrase 


510  COMMENTARY    ON     THE 

Of  common  comfort,  which  by  daily  use 

Has  almost  lost  its  sense ;  yet  on  the  ear 

Of  him  who  thought  to  die  unmourned,  'twill  fall 

Like  choicest  music."* 

In  Chrysostom's  introduction  to  his  homilies  on  the 
rich  man  and  Lazarus,  are  the  following  admirable 
sentences.  "As  the  springs  run  when  no  one  uses 
their  waters;  as  the  fountains  pour  forth  when  none 
draws  from  them ;  as  the  rivers  flow  on  although  no 
one  drinks  from  their  waves;  so  must  the  believer 
discharge  his  whole  duty,  though  no  one  gives  atten- 
tion. Though  by  our  efforts  none  may  be  converted, 
yet  thereby  are  the  impenitent  kept  from  going  on  as 
freely  in  sin.  I  have  not  raised  the  sick,  but  I  have 
rendered  stronger  the  healthful;  my  discourse  may 
not  have  recalled  any  from  vice,  but  it  has  made  the 
virtuous  more  careful.  Moreover,  he  who  hears  to-day 
and  resists,  may  to-morrow  hear  and  obey;  he  also 
who  despises  this  message  to-day  and  to-morrow,  may, 
after  a  longer  time,  attend  carefully  to  these  instruc- 
tions ;  for  the  fisherman  may  often  draw  an  empty 
net  through  the  whole  day,  but  in  the  evening,  when 
about  to  depart,  take  the  fish  that  had  till  then 
escaped.  Were  we  to  suspend  business  and  sit  down 
in  idleness,  when  unsuccessful  in  our  undertakings, 
our  whole  life  would  be  lost,  its  spiritual  as  well  as 
temporal  advantages.  Were  the  husbandman  to  sus- 
pend all  labour  on  account  of  one,  or  two,  or  many 
disasters  from  unfavourable  weather,  we  should  all 
perish  from  famine;   and  did  the  mariner  abandon 

*  Talfourd's  Ion,  act  i.  sc.  2. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  511 

the  sea  even  on  account  of  many  tempests,  the  busi- 
ness of  navigation  would  cease,  and  all  the  conve- 
niences thence  derived  to  society  be  excluded;  and 
were  men  to  act  in  reference  to  the  various  employ- 
ments of  life  as  too  many  Christians  act  in  reference 
to  the  interests  of  religion,  all  things  would  go  to 
ruin.  When  the  husbandman  has  repeatedly  sown 
the  same  field  without  a  successful  harvest,  he  returns 
again  to  the  tillage  of  the  same  ground,  and  in  a  sin- 
gle year  reaps  a  full  reward  for  all  his  labours ;  and 
the  merchant,  though  he  has  suffered  many  wrecks, 
again  fits  out  his  vessels,  and  embarks  in  the  same 
enterprise,  with  no  better  prospects  of  success  than 
the  former.  It  is  so  with  men  in  every  calling.  Since 
they  exercise  so  much  diligence  and  perseverance  in 
temporal  things,  the  issue  of  which  is  uncertain,  shall 
we,  when  our  exhortations  are  unheeded,  be  at  once 
discouraged?  When  his  vessel  is  wrecked,  the  mari- 
ner finds  none  to  relieve  his  poverty;  and  when  the 
tempest,  deluging  his  grounds,  destroys  the  harvest, 
the  husbandman  must  bear  his  wants.  It  is  not  so 
with  us.  Although  the  hearer  may  not  receive  the 
seed  of  the  word,  nor  bring  forth  the  fruit  of  obedience, 
you  shall  receive  from  God  a  recompense  as  great 
when  he  disobeys,  as  you  would  have  received  had  he 
been  obedient.  You  did  what  you  could.  We  are 
not  responsible  for  our  hearers  being  persuaded,  but 
only  for  their  being  properly  exhorted :  to  admonish 
is  our  duty,  to  be  persuaded  is  theirs.  Let  the  limit 
of  your  exhortation  be  the  obedience  of  him  who  is 
exhorted.     The  devil  is  constantly  opposing  our  sal- 


512  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

vation,  though  gaining  nothing  thereby,  and  injuring 
himself  by  his  zeal.  So  great  is  his  phrenzy,  that  he 
often  undertakes  impossibilities,  and  assaults  not  only 
those  whom  he  may  hope  to  supplant  and  overthrow, 
but  those  who  are  probably  superior  to  his  devices. 
When  he  heard  that  Job  was  commended  by  the  om- 
niscient God,  he  hoped  to  be  able  to  overthrow  him ; 
nor  did  the  deceiver  cease  his  various  efforts  and 
devices  for  destroying  this  just  man,  even  though 
God  had  commended  so  highly  the  integrity  of  his 
saint.  Tell  me  then,  shall  we  not  be  ashamed,  shall 
we  not  blush,  if,  when  the  devil  never  despairs  of  our 
destruction,  but  constantly  expects  it,  we  despair  of 
the  salvation  of  our  brethren?  The  devil  does  not 
retire  from  his  assault  against  us,  even  when  God  for- 
bids. Will  you  then  abandon  your  brethren,  when 
God  is  encouraging  and  urging  to  their  aid?" 

Ver.  9. — If  she  be  a  wall,  we  will  build  upon  her  a 
palace  of  silver :  and  if  she  be  a  door,  we  will  inclose  her 
with  hoards  of  cedar. 

The  spouse  having  thus  interceded  with  the  be- 
loved for  her  sister,  receives  from  him  the  encourag- 
ing answer  contained  in  this  verse.  It  is  the  usual 
parabolic  mode  of  speaking  in  the  East.  The  ima- 
gery here  used  was  probably  drawn  from  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem  and  from  the  temple.  The  spouse  had 
been  compared  to  a  city  such  as  Tirzah;  illustrations 
drawn  from  turrets  and  doors  is  here  applied  to  her 
sister.  Josephus  states,  that  on  the  walls  of  Jerusa- 
lem, thirty  feet  high  and  built  of  stones  fifteen  feet 
broad  and  thirty  feet  long,  there  were  one  hundred 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  513 

and  ninety  towers,  "solid  as  the  wall  itself,  wherein 
the  niceness  of  the  joints  and  the  beauty  of  the  stones 
were  no  way  inferior  to  the  holy  house  itself."*  Such 
towers  added  very  much  to  the  strength  and  beauty 
of  the  city;  and  formed  as  they  Avere  of  white  mar- 
ble, must,  together  with  the  temple,  make  the  holy 
city  "the  beauty  of  the  whole  earth."  The  Hebrew 
word  means  a  battlement  or  turret.  There  were  on 
the  walls  battlements  three  feet  high.  The  reference 
may  be  to  these,  though  more  probably  to  something 
in  the  time  of  Solomon,  like  the  turrets  here  men- 
tioned. Nothing  could  be  more  elegant  than  such 
turrets  made  of  silver.  The  other  allusion  here  seems 
to  refer  to  the  peculiar  beauty  of  some  doors,  possi- 
bly to  those  of  the  temple.     1  Kings   vi.    31 — 85. 

*  Jewish  War,  book  v.  4.  3.  According  to  Diodorus  Sicu- 
lus,  the  walls  of  Nineveh  were  one  hundred  feet  high,  and  so 
broad  that  three  chariots  might  be  driven  abreast  on  them. 
They  were  furnished  with  fifteen  hundred  towers,  each  two 
hundred  feet  in  height.  The  gates  of  ancient  cities  were  often 
of  great  size,  sometimes  of  brass,  and  flanked  by  towers  adorn- 
ed with  sculptures,  as  at  Koyunjik.  May  this  have  something 
to  do  with  associating  a  door  with  a  turret  in  the  text? 

Speaking  of  the  emperor  Akber's  efforts  to  adorn  the  city  of 
Agra,  Maurice  remarks,  "The  castle  itself,  the  largest  ever 
erected  in  India,  was  built  in  the  form  of  a  crescent  along  the 
banks  of  the  Jumna ;  its  lofty  walls  were  composed  of  stones  of 
enormous  size,  hard  as  marble,  and  of  a  reddish  colour, 
resembling  jasper,  which  at  a  distance,  in  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
gave  it  a  shining  and  beautiful  appearance.  It  was  adorned 
with  many  stately  porticoes,  galleries,  and  turrets,  all  richly 
painted  and  gilded,  and  some  even  overlaid  with  plates  of 
gold." — Indian  Antiquities,  vol.  i.  208. 

44 


514  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

"For  the  entering  of  the  oracle  he  made  doors  of 
olive-tree ;  the  lintel  and  side-posts  were  a  fifth  part 
of  the  wall.  The  two  doors  also  were  of  olive-tree ; 
and  he  carved  upon  them  carvings  of  cherubims,  and 
palm-trees,  and  open  flowers,  and  overlaid  them  with 
gold,  and  spread  gold  upon  the  cherubims,  and  upon 
the  palm-trees.  So  also  made  he  for  the  door  of  the 
temple  posts  of  olive-tree,  a  fourth  part  of  the  wall. 
And  the  two  doors  were  of  fir-tree:  the  two  leaves  of 
the  one  door  were  folding,  and  the  two  leaves  of  the 
other  door  were  folding.  And  he  carved  thereon 
cherubims,  and  palm-trees,  and  open  flowers;  and 
covered  them  with  gold  fitted  upon  the  carved  work. 
And  he  built  the  inner  court  with  three  rows  of  hewed 
stone,  and  a  row  of  cedar  beams."  Such  doors  would 
certainly  supply  materials  for  a  very  suitable  compa- 
rison. The  meaning  of  the  whole  verse  would  then  be, 
that  to  fit  this  sister  for  her  new  position,  a  glorious 
change  should  be  wrought  in  her  character,  great  as 
that  in  a  wall  like  the  walls  around  Jerusalem,  on 
which  should  be  raised  turrets  of  silver;  or  as  that  in 
an  ordinary  door,  which  should  be  so  overlaid  with 
cedar,  and  finished  as  to  be  beautiful  as  the  doors 
made  by  Solomon  for  the  temple.  Her  nature  should 
be  adorned  with  ornaments,  giving  more  beauty  and 
strength  than  turrets  of  silver,  or  a  richly  carved  door 
of  the  most  elegant  cedar. 

Believers  shall  be  made  pillars  in  the  temple  of 
God,  Rev.  iii.  12;  here,  such  are  compared  to  towers 
of  silver  built  on  a  wall  of  white  marble,  and  to  the 
richly  wrought  door  of  the  temple,  of  carved  cedar 


SONG     OF    SOLOMON 


515 


and  olive  adorned  with  gold.  The  Holy  Spirit,  at  work 
on  the  soul  in  sanctification,  is  developing  graces  of 
holiness,  which  are  rising  over  the  heart,  like  towers 
of  silver  on  the  holy  city's  walls.     The  spouse  is  said 
to  be  beautiful  as  Tirzah,  elegant  as  Jerusalem :  these 
were  lovely,  indeed,  when  the  morning  sun  fell  on  their 
towers,  even  though  of  white  marble ;  how  much  more 
so  would  they  have  been,  had  those  towers  been  of 
silver.     Who,  then,  can  tell  what  will  be  the  glory  of 
the  soul,  when  beautiful  as  these  imperial  cities  with 
walls  and  towers  of  marble,  it  shall  have  the  virtues 
developed  by  sanctification,  rising  there  purer  than 
turrets  of  silver,  lighted  up  by  the  splendour  of  hea- 
ven, and  over  it  shall  be  spread  the  holiness  which  is 
the  carved  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  richer,  more  ele- 
gant, than  the  carving  of  cherubim  and  palm-trees,  and 
open  flowers  on  the  olive,  and  cedar,  and  gold  of  the 
doors  of  the  temple. 

Ver.  10.— I  am  a  wall,  and  my  breasts  like  towers :  then 
was  I  in  his  eyes  as  one  that  found  favour. 

The  jpeaning  of  this  verse  is,  that  the  change  pro- 
mised by  the  beloved  to  the  younger  sister,  had  already 
been  wrought  in  the  condition  of  the  spouse;  and  the 
consciousness  of  this  furnished  her  with  grounds  for 
indulging  the  assurance  of  continuing  to  enjoy  his 
favour.  In  the  eighth,  ninth,  and  tenth  verses,  these 
four  considerations  are  distinctly  stated:  1.  Those 
truly  actuated  by  the  love  of  Christ,  show  an  interest, 
by  effort  and  prayer  to  Jesus,  for  the  souls  of  the  im- 
penitent, ver.  8 ;    2.  Two  grounds  of  encouragement 


51G  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

are  then  noticed — the  promise  of  God  to  work  the  ne- 
cessary change  in  the  unrenewed;  and  3.  Our  expe- 
rience of  his  gracious  power  in  having  wrought  such 
change  in  ourselves,  ver.  9, 10;  4.  Then,  by  reference 
to  our  own  state,  finding  that  God  has  shown  favour 
to  us,  we  are  encouraged  to' pray  and  labour  for  the 
salvation  of  others.  There  can  be  no  stronger  ground 
of  encouragement  than  the  declaration  of  God,  yet 
our  faith  may  receive  confirmation  by  seeing  that 
word  fulfilled.  This  confirmation  becomes  the  strong- 
est possible,  when  that  confirmation  takes  place,  not 
only  under  our  eye,  but  in  the  very  experience  of  our 
heart.  We  should  consider  effort  for  the  salvation  of 
souls  a  hopeless  thing,  were  it  not  for  the  two  consi- 
derations here  presented — the  promise  of  God,  and 
the  experience  of  his  regenerating  and  sanctifying 
power  in  our  own  sinful  hearts. 

Ver.  11,  12. — Solomon  had  a  vineyard  at  Baal-hamon; 

he  let  out  the  vineyard  unto  keepers ;  every  one  for  the  fruit 
thereof  was  to  bring  a  thousand  pieces  of  silver.  My  vine- 
yard, which  is  mine,  is  before  me :  thou,  0  Solomon,  must 
have  a  thousand,  and  those  that  keep  the  fruit  thereof  two 
hundred. 

There  have  been  many  conjectures  concerning  the 
locality  of  Baal-hamon.  Some  have  supposed  it  situated 
near  Baalbec ;  others,  probably  with  more  reason,  in 
Palestine,  at  no  great  distance  from  Jerusalem.  A 
knowledge  of  its  exact  situation  is  perfectly  immate- 
rial, and  can  throw  no  light  on  the  truth  here  embodied 
in  the  allegory.  These  pieces  of  silver  were  doubtless 
shekels,  each  in  value  about  fifty-six  cents  of  our 
money.  It  seems  probable  that  the  vineyard  consisted 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  517 

of  a  thousand  vines,  each  required  to  afford  a  shekel 
to  the  owner;  for  we  see  that  Solomon  received  a 
thousand  shekels  from  this  vineyard,  and  we  learn 
from  Isa.  vii.  23,  that  a  thousand  silverlings,  or  she- 
kels, was  the  profit  of  a  thousand  vines.  The  vines 
of  Johannisberg  are  valued  at  a  ducat — about  an  Ame- 
rican dollar — each,  according  to  Michaelis,  who  thinks 
that,  with  allowance  for  the  change  in  the  value  of 
money,  this  price  was  high  even  for  a  valuable  vine- 
yard. The  whole  income  of  this  vineyard  would  then 
have  been  worth  between  five  and  six  hundred  dollars 
to  Solomon.  While  those  who  were  tenants  were 
obliged  to  pay  this  rent,  the  spouse  speaks  of  a  vine- 
yard which  was  her  own,  but  which  she  would  never- 
theless so  keep  under  her  own  control  and  manage,  as 
to  be  able,  while  paying  the  keepers  equitable  wages, 
to  offer  yearly  to  the  king  a  thousand  pieces  of  silver 
as  a  testimonial  of  her  love. 

Viewed  in  connection  with  the  parable  of  the  la- 
bourers in  the  vineyard,  Matt.  xx.  1,  and  xxi.  33, 
these  verses  illustrate  the  truth,  that  we  are  all  the 
stewards  of  God,  and  that  all  our  property,  intellec- 
tual endowments,  and  influence,  are  things  intrusted 
to  us  by  God,  who  will  require  of  us  an  account  of  our 
stewardship ;  they  furthermore  show  that  were  we, 
like  the  spouse  in  reference  to  her  vineyard,  under  no 
requirement  or  command  to  give  to  Jesus,  yet  would 
we,  under  the  impulse  of  this  love,  give  him  of  our 
possessions  every  thing  that  could  be  spared  from  the 
necessary  demands  made  on  us  by  justice  toothers. 
The  spirit  of  Jesus,  our  example,  is  a  spirit  of  liberali- 
44* 


518  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

ty.*  In  2  Cor.  viii.  9,  the  word  grace  means  liberal- 
ity ;  "  Ye  know  the  liberality  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that,  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  he  became 
poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich." 
There  is  an  error  among  men  concerning  the  nature 
of  the  title  by  which  they  hold  their  property.  When 
any  man  has  such  a  claim  on  a  property  as  to  remove 
at  will,  under  the  just  sanction  of  the  law,  one  tenant 
after  another,  and  place  others  in  their  stead,  we  con- 
sider him  the  legal  owner,  whatever  the  ejected  tenants 
may  think  of  their  claims;  and  we  feel  that  the  law 
would  not  justify  him  in  doing  so,  unless  the  posses- 
sions were  righteously  his.  Now,  God  is  daily  giving 
us  proof  of  this  very  kind,  that  all  we  have  and  hold 
belongs  not  to  ourselves,  but  to  him.     At  will,  he 

*  "An  improper  use  must  be  called  an  abuse.  Were  we 
pilgrims  in  a  distant  land,  unable  to  live  happily  save  in  our 
native  counti'y,  being  miserable  in  our  wanderings,  and  desiring 
to  end  our  wretchedness,  did  we  wish  to  return  to  our  country, 
we  should  be  obliged  to  use  conveyances  by  land  or  by  sea,  for 
reaching  and  enjoying  our  home;  but  did  the  pleasures  of  the 
journey  and  the  conveyance  of  the  vehicles  delight  us  so  that 
we  might  fall  into  the  enjoyment  of  what  we  ought  only  to  use,. 
we  would  grow  unwilling  to  hasten  the  journey,  and  becoming 
involved  with  those  dangerous  comforts,  would  grow  alienated 
from  the  land  whose  pleasures  could  make  us  blest:  thus,  in 
this  mortal  life,  aliens  from  the  Lord,  would  we  return  to  hea- 
ven, our  home  where  we  may  be  truly  blest,  we  must  use  this 
world,  not  enjoy  it;  that  the  invisible  things  of  God  may  be 
seen,  being  understood  by  those  things  which  have  been  made, 
that  is,  that  we  may  understand  eternal  and  spiritual  things 
by  things  sensible  and  temporal." — Augustin.  De  Doct.  Christ., 
book  i.  4. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  519 

makes  one  rich  and  another  poor;  causes  riches  to 
take  wings  and  flee  away;  removes  men  from  their 
possessions  by  death,  and  causes  their  wealth  to  pass 
into  the  hands  of  others;  nor  does  any  person  think 
of  questioning  the  justice  of  these  proceedings,  or  his 
right  to  dispose  of  us  at  his  will.  Every  thing  we 
have,  belonging  thus  to  him,  and  being  held  in  trust, 
Ave  cannot  repress  a  liberal  spirit  and  refuse  contribu- 
tions to  his  cause,  without  committing  a  breach  of 
trust  and  incurring  a  responsibility  fearful  to  be  met 
in  the  judgment.* 

*  "Be  charitable  before  wealth  make  thee  covetous,  and  lose 
not  the  glory  of  the  mite.  If  riches  increase,  let  thy  mind  hold 
pace  with  them;  and  think  it  not  enough  to  be  liberal,  but 
munificent.  Diffuse  thy  beneficence  early,  and  while  thy  trea- 
sures call  thee  master.  Give  not  only  unto  seven,  but  also  unto 
eight — that  is,  unto  more  than  many.  Though  to  give  unto  every 
one  that  asketh  may  seem  severe  advice,  yet  give  thou  also  be- 
fore asking;  that  is,  where  want  is  silently  clamorous,  and 
men's  necessities,  not  their  tongues,  do  loudly  call  for  thy 
mercies.  For  though  sometimes  necessitousness  be  dumb,  or 
misery  speak  not  out,  yet  true  charity  is  sagacious,  and  will 
find  out  hints  for  beneficence.  Acquaint  thyself  with  the  phy- 
siognomy of  want,  and  let  the  dead  colours  and  first  lines  of 
necessity  suffice  to  tell  thee  there  is  an  object  for  thy  bounty. 
Spare  not  where  thou  canst  not  easily  be  prodigal,  and  fear  not 
to  be  undone  by  mercy ;  for  since  he  who  hath  pity  on  the  poor 
lendeth  unto  the  Almighty  Eewarder,  who  observes  no  ides  but 
every  day  for  his  payments,  charity  becomes  pious  usury, 
Christian  liberality  the  most  thriving  industry;  and  what  we 
adventure  in  a  cock-boat  may  return  in  a  carrack  unto  us.  Ho 
who  thus  casts  his  bread  upon  the  water  shall  surely  find  it 
again;  for  though  it  falleth  to  the  bottom,  it  sinks  but  like  the 
axe  of  the  prophet,  to  rise  again  unto  him.     If  avarice  be  thy 


520  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

But  were  there  no  divine  command,  and  no  obliera- 
tion  thus  resting  upon  us,  love  would  seek  to  pour  its 
riches,  its  all,  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  feel  such  con- 
secration the  highest  privilege.  With  such  a  spirit, 
the  richest  blessings  are  connected.  "Honour  the 
Lord  with  thy  substance,  and  with  the  first  fruit  of  all 
thine  increase;  so  shall  thy  barns  be  filled  with  plen- 
ty, and  thy  presses  shall  burst  out  with  new  wine." 
Prov.  iii.  9.  "For  this  thing  the  Lord  thy  God 
shall  bless  thee  in  all  thy  works,  and  in  all  that  thou 
puttest  thine  hand  unto."  Deut.  xv.  10.  "He  that 
soweth  bountifully  shall  reap  also  bountifully."  2  Cor. 
ix.  6.  On  whom  is  the  blessing  pronounced  by  the 
Judge  in  the  last  day,  "Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world?"  On  those  who  fed  the 
hungry,  who  gave  drink  to  the  thirsty,  who  sheltered 
the  stranger,  who  clothed  the  naked,  who  visited  the 
sick,  who  sought  out  the  prisoner.  AVhile  the  Mag- 
dalen may  then  rejoice  in  having  followed  him  from 
Galilee  to  Calvary,  to  minister  unto  him ;  and  Mary 
in  having  broken  the  box  of  alabaster  at  the  feet  of 

vice,  yet  make  it  not  thy  punishment.  A  slave  unto  mammon 
makes  no  servant  unto  God.  Covetousness  cracks  the  sinews  of 
faith,  numbs  the  apprehension  of  any  thing  above  sense,  and, 
only  affected  with  the  certainty  of  things  present,  makes  a  per- 
adventure  of  things  to  come;  lives  but  unto  one  world,  nor 
hopes  but  fears  another;  makes  their  own  death  sweet  unto 
others,  bitter  unto  themselves;  brings  formal  sadness,  scenical 
mourning,  and  no  wet  eyes  at  the  grave." — Sir  Thomas  Brown's 
Works,  vol.  iii.  90. 


SONG    OP    SOLOMON.  521 

Jesus;  and  Joseph  of  Arimathea  in  having  given  to 
the  outcast  corpse  of  him  who  through  life  had  not 
where  to  lay  his  head,  a  peaceful  resting-place  in  his 
own  new  tomb ;  we  may  equally  rejoice,  as  he  says, 
"Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least 
of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me." 

Ver.  13. — Thou  that  dwellest  in  the  gardens,  the  com- 
panions hearken  to  thy  voice :  cause  me  to  hear  it. 

The  Hebrew  puts  it  beyond  doubt  that  these  words 
are  addressed  to  the  spouse,  as  we  suppose  by  the 
beloved.  "  Our  first  parents  had  for  their  residence 
a  beautiful  garden,  which  may  have  had  some  influ- 
ence upon  their  immediate  descendants,  in  giving 
them  a  predilection  for  such  situations.  People  in 
England  will  scarcely  be  able  to  appreciate  the  value 
which  the  orientals  place  on  a  garden.  The  food  of 
many  of  them  consists  of  vegetables,  roots,  and  fruits; 
their  medicines,  also,  being  indigenous,  are  most  of 
them  produced  in  their  gardens.  Here  they  have 
their  fine  fruit-trees,  and  the  constant  shade;  and 
here  they  have  their  wells  and  places  for  bathing.  See 
the  proprietor,  in  his  undress,  walking  around  his  little 
domain ;  his  fence  or  wall  is  so  high  no  one  can  over- 
look him :  he  strolls  about  to  smoke  his  shroot,  to  pick 
up  the  fruit,  and  cull  the  flowers ;  he  cares  not  for  the 
world;  his  soul  is  satisfied  with  the  scenes  around 
him."*  See  notes  on  chap.  i.  16.  Before  the  fall, 
"  the  Lord  God  took  the  man  and  put  him  in  the  gar- 
den of  Eden,  to  dress  it  and  keep  it."  Gen.  ii.  15. 

*  Roberts. 


522  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

The  Church  is  now  his  spiritual  Eden ;  and  the  saint 
is  placed  in  this  spiritual  garden,  to  enjoy  it  and  feed 
on  its  healing  fruits,  but  not,  therefore,  to  lead  an 
idle  life.  It  is  his  privilege  to  enjoy  it;  his  duty,  to 
be  engaged  in  dressing  and  keeping  it.  Then  do  we 
find  the  presence  of  our  Lord  pleasant  to  us,  and  him 
ready  to  receive  us  into  communion  with  himself. 
Those  actuated  by  the  love  of  Christ  feel  an  interest 
for  the  impenitent,  and  show  liberality  in  the  cause 
of  our  Lord;  and  those  thus  acting  are  encouraged 
by  Jesus  to  prayer.  The  words  "vineyard"  and 
"garden"  were  often  used  interchangeably  by  the 
Jews;  the  expression,  "thou  that  dwellest  in  the  gar- 
dens," is  probably  applied  to  the  spouse  in  conse- 
quence of  her  care  of  the  vineyard  mentioned  in  the 
foregoing  verse ;  and  hence  this  faithfulness  on  her 
part  is  connected  with  delight  and  readiness  on  the 
part  of  the  beloved  to  hear  her  voice  in  praise  and 
prayer.  Those  animated  by  this  love,  while  showing 
its  genuineness  by  effort  and  liberality  in  the  cause  of 
Christ,  have  a  lowly  opinion  of  themselves,  and  need 
encouragement  to  come  to  their  Lord.  And  how 
sweetly  does  the  beloved  address  this  language  to  the 
heart.  See  notes  on  chap.  ii.  14.  Not  only  has  he 
given  us  exceedingly  great  and  precious  promises;  he 
sends  his  Holy  Spirit  into  our  hearts  for  constraining 
us  sweetly  to  the  mercy-seat.  And  in  times  of  trouble, 
when  we  feel  the  insufficiency  of  the  world,  and  are 
driven  to  the  necessity  of  going  to  the  throne  of 
grace,  he  is  but  using  such  dispensations  for  saying 
unto  us,  "Let  me  hear  thy  voice."     To  him  no  less 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  528 

pleasing  is  the  voice  of  praise.     And  that  we  may 

never  fear  he  will  grow  weary  with  us,  he  addresses 

to  us  these  cheering  words. 

Ver.  14. — Make  haste,  iny  beloved,  and  he  thou  like  to 
a  roe,  or  to  a  young  hart  upon  the  mountains  of  spices. 

See  notes,  chap.  ii.  17.  The  Song  concludes  with 
the  same  sentiment  expressed  in  different  words,  and 
repeated  with  emphasis,  in  Rev.  xxii.  7,  12,  20. 
"Behold,  I  come  quickly:"  and  "Surely  I  come 
quickly."  These  words  are  properly  the  answer  to 
the  desire  of  the  spouse  in  the  text,  sent  by  the  be- 
loved from  his  dwelling-place  on  the  mountain  of 
myrrh  and  hill  of  frankincense,  where  he  abides  till 
the  day  breaks  and  the  shadows  flee  away.  Thus 
encouraged  to  dwell  at  the  mercy-seat,  in  confidential 
and  constant  communion  with  our  Lord  on  earth, 
we  are  becorning^fitted  for  being  with  him  in  heaven ; 
and  this  fitness,  combined  with  the  displays  of  his 
love  before  mentioned,  carries  with  it  a  stronger  and 
stronger  desire  for  the  enjoyment  of  his  glory,  as  it 
shall  be  revealed  when  the  Lord  perfects  that  which 
concerneth  us,  at  his  second  coming.  To  this,  as  the 
ultimate,  absorbing  desire  of  the  soul,  do  all  these 
assurances  of  the  love  of  Jesus  lead.  As  the  book 
begins  with  a  burst  of  desire  for  the  love  of  Christ,  as 
that  love  can  be  enjoyed  only  by  his  intimate  friends, 
chap.  i.  2,  it  ends  with  a  prayer  for  the  hastening  of 
the  time  when  we  shall  no  longer  see  him  through  a 
glass  darkly,  but  face  to  face ;  when  there  shall  be 
nothing  to  interfere  with  the  manifestation  of  his 
love  to  us,  and  the  expression  of  our  love  to  him  : 


524  COMMENTARY    ON    THE 

this  desire  is  expressed,  and  its  intensencss  shown, 
by  the  prayer  that  he  would  hasten  that  happy  day, 
and  come  with  the  celerity  of  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart 
bounding  over  the  mountains  of  spices,  and  at  every 
step  shaking  fragrance  from  the  dewy  boughs.  When 
Jesus  came  forth  from  the  ivory  palaces,  all  his  gar- 
ments smell  of  myrrh,  aloes,  and  cassia :  how  fragrant 
will  they  be  when  the  sacred  perfume  of  his  divine 
nature  shall,  at  his  second  coming,  flow  forth  around 
him  more  boundless,  more  life-giving,  than  the  atmos- 
phere which  encompassed  him  when  in  human  form 
on  earth.  Truly  his  presence  will  be  more  delightful 
than  that  of  a  gazelle  through  mountains  of  spices. 
To  the  sentiments  of  chap.  ii.  17,  is  added,  "moun- 
tains of  spices,"  for  associating  with  the  second 
coming  of  the  beloved  every  possible  idea  of  delight ; 
and  well  may  he  be  said  to  come  as  a  gazelle  or  fleet- 
ing fawn,  for  his  words  are,  "I  come  quickly."  Rev. 
xxii.  20.  And,  "As  the  lightning  cometh  out  of  the 
east,  and  shineth  even  unto  the  west,  so  shall  also  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  man  be."  Matt.  xxiv.  27.  To 
this  promise  the  Holy  Spirit  has  taught  us  to  pray, 
"Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus." 

To  this  period,  it  would  be  strange  if  the  believer 
did  not  look  forward  with  the  greatest  interest.  In 
regeneration,  we  were  betrothed  to  the  beloved ;  that 
day  is  to  be  the  day  of  our  espousals  with  "  Him  who 
loved  us,  and  gave  himself  for  us."  Jesus  himself  has 
taught  us  to  view  it  as  the  time  of  our  redemption,  of 
the  full,  glorious,  and  eternal  completion  of  our  salva- 
tion.    Taught  by  this  blessed  Redeemer,  the  Apostle 


SONG    OF    SOLOMON.  525 

was  comforted  in  the  midst  of  his  chains,  by  being 
able  to  say,  "  Our  citizenship  is  in  heaven :  from 
whence  also  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ;  who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may 
be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body."  Phil.  iii.  20. 
Were  Sir  John  Franklin,  with  his  companions,  yet 
living,  and  aware  of  the  efforts  made  for  his  deliver- 
ance, with  what  earnestness  would  he  long  for  the 
appearance  of  those  sent  to  rescue  him  from  the  deso- 
lation of  the  polar  regions,  and  for  the  day  when  he 
could  see  again  the  long  lost  friends  awaiting  him  in 
his  native  country:  Amid  the  wintry  desolations  of 
the  curse  in  this  world  of  sin,  we  know  that  Jesus  our 
beloved  has  gone  away  into  heaven,  to  receive  a  king- 
dom unto  himself,  and  return  the  second  time  without 
sin,  for  the  salvation  of  his  saints;  and  insensible 
indeed  must  we  be  to  his  love,  could  we  cease  to 
anticipate  that  period  with  emotions  of  unspeakable 
delight.  iEschylus  draws  an  affecting  picture  of  the 
sad  consequences  of  war,  when  speaking  of  the  siege 
of  Troy,  he  says,  Mars  sends  back  to  friends  at  home 
from  the  so-called  field  of  glory,  sad  relics  burned  in 
the  funeral  fire,  wept  with  bitter  tears,  urns  filled 
with  ashes,  all  that  remains  of  what  was  once  men  in 
the  vigour  of  youth.*     But  when 

"The  day  shall  come,  the  great  avenging  day 
^  When  sins  proud  glories  in  the  dust  shall  lay, 

And  Satan's  power  and  Satan's  self  shall  fall, 

And  one  eternal  ruin  swallow  all  ;"f 

and  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  the  King  "crowned 

*  Agamemnon  of  iEschylus,  402.  f  Sec  Iliad,  iv.  104. 

45 


526  COMMENTARY     ON     THE 

with  many  crowns,"  shall  come  for  our  final  deliver- 
ance, he  will  bring  to  us — what? — the  sad  relics  of 
mortality,  gathered  from  the  tomb  where  they  had 
been  so  long  mouldering,  formed  by  his  creative 
power  into  a  body  flushed  with  perennial  youth,  like 
the  glorious  body  of  him  who  is  glorified  with  the 
glory  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world.  To  that  period  of  deliverance  from  the 
bondage  of  corruption  into  the  liberty  of  the  glory  of 
the  sons  of  God,  of  release  from  our  warfare  with  sin, 
the  period  that  puts  an  end  to  the  separation  from 
him  whom  our  soul  loveth — we  may  well  look  forward 
with  earnest  longings ;  and  as  much  as  the  glory  of  that 
unending  day,  and  the  splendour  of  that  resurrection 
morning,  surpass  the  brightness  of  any  day  on  earth, 
so  much  more  earnestly  "our  soul  waiteth  for  the 
Lord  than  they  that  watch  for  the  morning:  I  say, 
more  than  they  that  watch  for  the  morning."  Ps. 
exxx.  6. 

Animated  by  these  cheering  assurances  given  us 
by  Jesus,  the  creator  of  all  things,  the  soul  contem- 
plates the  world  and  the  heavens,  under  the  light  of 
the  great  deductions  of  modern  philosophy,  and  sees 
amid  these  ruins,  traces  of  magnificence  and  gran- 
deur big  with  the  promise  of  future  glory.  "If  the 
man  of  clay  has  been  honoured  with  such  magnificent 
apartments,  and  fed  at  such  a  luxurious  table,  may 
not  his  undying  and  reasoning  soul  count  upon  a 
spiritual  palace,  and  sigh  for  that  intellectual  repast 
at  which  the  Master  of  the  feast  is  to  disclose  his 
secrets.     In  its  rapid  and  continued  expansion,  the 


SONG     OF     SOLOMON.  527 

mind,  conscious  of  its  capacity  for  a  higher  sphere, 
feels,  even  now,  that  it  is  advancing  to  a  goal  more 
distant  and  more  cheering  than  the  tomb.  Its  ener- 
gies increase  and  multiply  under  the  encumbrances  of 
age ;  and  even  when  man's  heart  is  turning  into  bone, 
and  his  joints  into  marble,  his  mind  can  soar  to  its 
highest  flight,  and  seize  with  its  firmest  grasp.  Nor 
do  the  affections  plead  less  eloquently  for  a  future 
home.  Age  is  their  season  of  warm  and  genial  emo- 
tion. The  objects  long  and  fondly  clasped  to  our 
bosom  have  been  removed  by  him  who  gives,  and  who 
takes  what  he  gives ;  and  lingering  in  the  valley  of 
bleeding  and  of  broken  hearts,  we  yearn  for  that 
break  of  day  which  is  to  usher  in  the  eternal  morn — 
for  that  home  in  the  house  of  many  mansions  which 
is  already  prepared  for  us — for  the  promised  welcome 
to  the  threshold  of  the  blest,  where  we  shall  meet 
again  the  loved  and  the  lost,  and  devote  the  eternity 
of  our  being  to  the  service  of  its  almighty  Author."* 
"  He  which  testifieth  these  things,  saith,  Surely  I 
come  quickly.  Amen.  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus." 
"Make  haste,  my  Beloved,  and  be  thou  like  to  a  roe 
or  to  a  young  hart,  upon  the  mountains  of  spices." 

*  North  British  Review,  No.  11,  art.  8.  "The  Revelations 
of  Astronomy." 

THE  END. 


BS1485 .B972 

A  commentary  on  the  Song  of  Solomon. 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


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